A special meeting? I'd like to have the peanuts 'n' beer concession on that one.
Idle speculation: Given that the city of New Albany has for the most part unquestioningly endorsed various plans to keep all its eggs in the River View basket, what happens if the project expires? So many times we've heard how important it is to give Mainland every last opportunity to put out to sea, given its organizational expenses (considerable, we're always told) to date. Fair enough, but what we haven't heard is how much it will cost the city in time and potential if the past four years prove to have been wasted.
If the city has a Plan B, it has not revealed it ... and we're not advising you to hold your breaths.
In other business
• Steve Goodman, with New Albany Horizons LLC, along with his partners, asked for a status report of Mainland Properties River View project. The multiuse development along Main Street would feature retail, office and residential space supported by a $12 million parking garage that would be paid for with New Albany tax-increment financing dollars.
Jack Bobo, who heads up River View, placed a $1,000 option on the property in June 2010 and that option was extended a year. Goodman asked if another extension was given. He said his group was concerned since they own adjoining property which they would possibly like to develop in the future.
“We want to know what is going to happen next door to us,” Goodman said.
Redevelopment Commission President Irving Joshua said a special meeting will be called to review the contract and documents with River View.
“I would never agree for a $1,000 option on a million dollar piece of property for a third year,” said Redevelopment Commission and City Council member Kevin Zurschmiede.
I would like to know when Mr. Goodman will start construction on his 36 million project? The one that suppose to be built 4 years ago when Carl gave him a hella of deal on 6 parcels of property.
ReplyDeleteRemCha: These were my first thoughts when reading the article.
ReplyDeleteSo what have we learned from either?
ReplyDeleteWe gave New Albany Horizons a $107K piece of property and Mainland got a sweetheart option deal, $75K in public money toward planning and design, and the mayor's office shilling as PR reps for millions more.
And we got what exactly? And, remind me again, when did the public input portion of our public land giveaway program occur?
Seems like these questions keep being asked, and answers keep not being offered.
ReplyDeleteDoes that help?
It's Gahan/Duggins instead of England/Malysz now-- or at least supposedly on the Malysz part.
ReplyDeleteThe next couple weeks could be very telling in terms of approach as the second River View option is running out with the developer still turning up rocks around town and elsewhere looking for funding and other support.
If the Redevelopment Commission grants another option (and Kevin Z. is right, they shouldn't) or does anything beyond simply saying tough luck Mainland, prepare for even further expensive, counterproductive hijinks.