Reisz Furniture Building: Cautious optimism?

A part of this story seems to be missing.

Aren't we supposed to be providing potential developers with a tailor-made $12-15 million parking garage before they spend a dime of their own? Or was that just Doug England and Jack Bobo's backroom deal?

Meanwhile, does anyone recall the Historic District Building Tour way back in 2005?

The Reisz was included.

Remember how Bob Caesar, the human progress retardant, helped keep the Reisz building dilapidated?

We were there for that one, too.

Let's get real, shall we?

Given that the city of New Albany has done almost nothing to spur the first entrepreneurial round of downtown food, drink and retail upgrades, which now seem to be leading to a second ground of entrepreneurial housing additions sans substantive city assistance of any sort, there are two clear verdicts.

First, that the city best not take credit for matters with which it played no role.

Second, if the city DOES wish to (a) ever do something, and (b) take ever credit for doing something, that certain something should be two-way "completed" streets downtown, as soon as possible, over Caesar's sedated, bound and gagged body if necessary, because a modernized street grid for all users is the one way that the the city can help ALL the downtown stakeholders, and not merely some of them.

Do we need Democratic Party clearance for that one?

Offices, apartments planned for Reisz building in downtown New Albany; Contractor razed portion of structure Tuesday, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

NEW ALBANY — Five buildings consisting of office, retail and residential space overlooking a courtyard is what developer Ron Carter envisions for a portion of the former Reisz Furniture building along East Main Street.

Having received permission from the New Albany Preservation Commission and Board of Public Works and Safety, Carter had a portion of the rear of the building at 154 E. Main St. demolished Tuesday.