Building Commissioner to council: This round of Bud Light is on the mayor, 'cuz we've created 160 vacant lots in 3 years!

How's that infill program going, Mr. Mayor?

You do know what this means, right?

It's the part where something is built to fill in the hole created by a governmental philosophy of demolition first, sustainability second?

Urban Infill

Urban infill is defined as new development that is sited on vacant or undeveloped land within an existing community, and that is enclosed by other types of development. The term "urban infill" itself implies that existing land is mostly built-out and what is being built is in effect "filling in" the gaps. The term most commonly refers to building single-family homes in existing neighborhoods but may also be used to describe new development in commercial, office or mixed-use areas.

Hmm. Looks like we're only pursuing one of these angles. Given yesterday's revelation that Jeff Gahan has $95,000 dollars in his campaign fund, the most sensible explanation of City Hall's infill "strategy" plays out as follows.

1. Campaign finance optimization is best served by a policy of demolition-first and infill-later, as these extractive bits pertain to neighborhoods. It makes the likes of CCE nice and fat, and then the largesse trickles back.

2. Campaign finance optimization is best served by a policy of TIF-induced incentivization for out-of-town developers, as it pertains to plaque-ready, big-ticket housing developments in election years. See "largesse," preceding.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have the Democratic Party chairman on a cherry-picked Redevelopment Commission, does it?

As a side note, you'd think that if Jeff Gahan genuinely supported implementation of the Speck plan, at least he'd level with CCE:

Once upon a time, not so long ago, you were the area's primary eco-terrorists; now I've personally rehabilitated you as praiseworthy heroes of capitalist demolition. Now, about the streets: Don't let it go to your head. Shut up, take your mayhem commissions, and be sure not to forget Papa Gah at Christmas.

Here's a look at Louisville infill, courtesy of Broken Sidewalk.

Let's see. Walkability, two-way streets and traffic sense would serve as incentives for this sort of investment ... nah, fugetaboutit. In our skewed system of governance by the "C" students, we just tear shit down. It's both easier, and greasier.

Douglass Boulevard’s insightful infill apartment building rises from the ground

It’s out of the ground. A three-story infill residential building at 2068 Douglass Boulevard in the Highlands has been making some serious construction progress and looks ready for brick once the weather improves.