Miss Emery's ice cream parlor, economic development and the politics of awarding credit.

In an email, regular reader B refers to a post here at NAC on Saturday evening.

Greenville, Georgetown and Duncan capitulate as giddy Gahan boasts that New Albany is "the economic engine of Floyd County." No shit, Sherlock. But not so much regionally, eh?

When you ask ...

"Can anyone capable of reading and comprehending these words cite a single instance of (3rd district councilman Greg) Phipps being involved with economic development during the past eight years, apart from attending the stray ribbon-cutting, and issuing rote rubber-stamp approval of every expenditure ever handed him by Team Gahan?”

You forget how Mr. Phipps arm-wrestled everyone on the council and won the rights to Miss Emery’s ice cream parlor, locating the historic structure in his district.

A big WIN, sadly forgotten!

Our reader is referring to the long-forgotten saga of the little building pictured above, which for decades was situated in the front yard of a house on Beharrell Avenue and housed an ice cream dispensary. The business petered out at some point during the early 1990s, and eventually resurfaced in Corydon with the old equipment and new owners.

Meanwhile in 2009 the humble little building became an unlikely cause célèbre when the property changed hands and the new owner began to demolish it. Evidently older members of the community's historic preservation contingent were overwhelmed by pleasant memories of youth and pervasive nostalgia about bygone times, and they threatened to chain themselves to the structure until it was "saved."

The owner said fine, take it -- and get out of my yard. For three years the former parlor reposed atop blocks behind a house on Main Street as downtowners scratched their heads in puzzlement as to why preservationists were expending their political capital in this fashion.

Concurrent with this four-alarm outbuilding rescue a far larger and much more expensive kerfuffle centered on the decaying Weinmann-Hess building on the northwest corner of 8th & Culbertson, or as many of us knew it, the Alligator Tavern.

To make an exceedingly long story somewhat shorter, then-mayor Doug England took a peculiar interest in the Weinmann-Hess building and pledged a pot of money toward preserving it.

Unfortunately the money actually belonged to the Urban Enterprise Association, which had not been asked if it approved of shifting these dollars from UEA programs already in progress to variable political whims in suspension.

The Fix to enable the fix duly was executed, the UEA-ATM was emptied, and three years of fits and starts followed in an effort to stabilize and prep the building to be sold.

You saw it here first: The Emery/Culbertson Connection, Phase 453 ...

If these gyrations seem muddled, that's only because they were, and by early 2012 it had been decided that the perfect place for the Emery's Ice Cream shack was the backyard of the Weinmann-Hess building, where it stands to this very day, apropos of nothing.

Now, back to Reader B's observation about Phipps' role in the Great Emery's Ice Cream Hovel Economic Redevelopment Plan of 2012, as Tricky Dickey surely would refer to it in one of his robotic boilerplate press releases.

Phipps defeated incumbent 3rd district councilman Steve Price in the 2011 primary, and won his current seat that fall. By the time he'd been sworn in, the Emery's tale was three years in the making.

Granted, I seem to recall that during this period, when Phipps did not serve on the council, he nonetheless was a strong advocate of the various cash-laden remedies for the former ice cream parlor as well as the Weinmann-Hess building.

But as an aside, Phipps famously refused to apply precisely the same logic in 2015 in very similar circumstances involving the old Haughey's Tavern building: "Tear It Down," Sayeth the Councilman, Part 2: "Just how has this been a corrupt process?" Hint: Secretive nonsense.

The central question, then: According to the usual rules of the game in New Albany, as formulated by the same tired suspects, can Phipps take full and unalloyed credit for the economic development windfall provided by the relocation of the Emery's Ice Cream building, even though he was on the public payroll for only the last few months of a three-year-long farce?

Let's go to Jeff Gahan's wheel of fortune and give it a spin.

YES he can.

NA Confidential appreciates reader input. Thanks to B for helping to put the credit where the credit is due.

---

Democratic mayoral candidate David White understands that change begins with a whole lotta scrubbing, and NA Confidential advocates just such a deep civic cleansing. 

After eight years on the job, Mayor Jeff Gahan's list of stunning "achievements" is long, indeed: tax increases, budgetary hide 'n' seek, self-deification, daily hypocrisy, public housing takeover, non-transparency, pay-to-play for no-bid contracts, bullying city residents and bullying city employees. Eight years is enough. It's time to drain Gahan's swamp, flush his ruling clique and take this city back from Gahan's Indy-based special interest donors. 

NA Confidential supports David White for Mayor in the Democratic Party primary, with voting now through May 7. 

Panel of polemicists proposes an exciting non-Reisz city hall relocation idea.

These adaptive reuse pieces took a while to come together, but now it's my pleasure to offer an viable alternative to David Barksdale's City Hall's plan (or is it David Barksdale's City Hall's plan -- so very confused) to deploy millions of back-scratching dominoes (and dollars) so that the neglected/dilapidated Reisz furniture building might be used for city offices.

It works like this: first, Culbertson gets a new name.

Unoccupied since 2011 in spite of constant assurances, the historic structure at the corner of 8th and Champs-Ely-GAHAN becomes the mayor's new office.

There's enough square feet for an official state guest room with plenty of faucets for visiting campaign donors to wet their beaks.

There's ample space in the old Emery's Ice Cream Building for remaining municipal offices and city council chambers.

As Dear Leader often says, "if you're not out panhandling for papa, you might as well be residing in a closet."

Best of all, just a few hundred feet down the Champs-Ely-GAHAN is the acreage inhabited by the Democratic Party's most loyal voters.

This plan is a slam dunk, a home run and a bottomless pint glass, all in one. In fact, it makes so much sense that satire is rendered helpless. Say what you will, but this makeover is destined for a Mayor Jeff M. Gahan Lifetime Empillarment Award.

Yes, and by the way, Greg Sekula got some good ink from Dale Moss last week.

MOSSWORDS: Answering the call to preserve in Southern Indiana, by Dale Moss (Inexplicably Tom May-less)

JEFFERSONVILLE — If not in Birdseye, where a former commercial building burned, Greg Sekula may find himself again in Medora, home to an abandoned brick factory.

Or Sekula could be in Charlestown, weighing in further on in the bitterly-debated future for Pleasant Ridge.

Sekula directs our region’s office of Indiana Landmarks. In other words, he asks pointed questions, poses daunting challenges and, all in all, pokes his nose routinely in business you or someone might suggest is not his.

Out with the old, in with the new? Not so fast, Sekula urges ...

I don't care what anyone says; the alligator should have stayed ... as well as the truth of what really happened.

(Photo from the Landmarks article)

I suppose we can all be happy that a buyer finally was found for the Weinmann-Hess building at 8th & Culbertson, or, as I always thought of it, the Gator Tavern.

What's done is done, but at the risk of reviving tired old allegations of "toxicity," might I inquire as to the purpose of historical revisionism in the Indiana Landmarks report?

News from the region: A landmark save in New Albany (Indiana Landmarks - Southern Regional Office)

 ... The c.1858 landmark’s fate looked dim back in 2011, when powerful spring storms in southern Indiana caused a rear corner to collapse. When the owner decided to demolish the structure, Indiana Landmarks teamed up with the city and the New Albany Urban Enterprise Association to save it.

With additional support from Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County and Develop New Albany, we repaired the damage, added a new roof and period-appropriate windows, repointed the masonry, and gave the building a tasteful new exterior paint scheme before marketing it with preservation covenants. Inside, the building retains many original features, including a staircase, pocket doors, and wide-board pine flooring on the second floor.

Holy Whitewash, Batman. From quintessential example of back-room, non-transparent cluster reaming to shining example of cooperation and the victory of the human spirit, in one euphemism-ridden press release. Following are random references (2011 and 2012) to that rarest of local commodities, the truth.

ON THE AVENUES: They didn't ask.

Swank penthouse to crown 8th & Emery’s development.

Dan Coffey is right: The UEA is not City Hall’s ATM.

ON THE AVENUES: Brother, Can You Spare $12,500?

The building at 8th & Culbertson is for sale.

Strange, I thought a buyer already had been identified. The controversially rehabbed building's also being painted, which means that soon, the gator's going away. Talk about a historic landmark ...

"I will be returning to work at this site when it has been made safe for children."

After a few days of confusion, perhaps the urban garden craziness is getting clearer. Keep New Albany Clean & Greens's Jerry Finn had this to say in a note to NAC:

"Michele (Finn) was taking the lead on the Urban Fusion garden, but community gardens have been an initiative of Keep New Albany Clean and Green since it was first incorporated in April of 2011. We will move forward with community garden plans, and look forward to the day that Michele is able to get re-involved."

Michele herself speaks in this mailing to her urban gardening group, reiterating what she'd written in blog comments and on the newspaper's web site.

---

Hi Garden Gang,

If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, here is the link for the Tribune article.

http://newsandtribune.com/floydcounty/x915988550/Organizers-say-lead-contamination-won-t-hinder-community-garden-in-New-Albany

I didn't get a chance to speak with Daniel before the article ran. He had tried to contact me, I had tried to call him back. It didn't work out.

The lead content is at a level of est. 393 ppm. Not safe for pregnant women and children range is from 300-999.

From UMASS EXT office~

*If estimated lead totals are above 300 ppm, young children and pregnant women should avoid contact with the soil. Estimated levels of lead above 2000 ppm are considered a concern for all users and may represent a hazardous waste station.

So it's at a level safe for adults, just not expecting adults or children where brain development is still in the works.

Jerry and I have been working together and documents will be provided regarding the procedures used to make this site completely family friendly. I believe that we will see positive results. I will be returning to work at this site when it has been made safe for children.

Greg Sekula plans to use the Emery's building painting as an education tool for the public. He plans on teaching ways of testing for lead and how to remove toxic paint safely once it has been found.

We are still looking at other garden sites in conjunction with this site. If you have any other questions, fire away. There are bumps with all projects and this is one is no exception.

We would love even more community involvement with this project!

If you have questions for Jerry or Greg their addresses are

jfinn@horseshoefoundation.org
GSekula@indianalandmarks.org

Thank you for your support!

Urban Fusion and 707 Culbertson: Curiouser and curiouser.

(8:40 p.m. update: Michele Finn has provided clarification in two comments -- thanks for taking the time)

You may have read Urban Fusion lynchpin Michele Finn's words to her peeps, as reprinted here a week ago:

Urban Fusion update: Soil remediation necessary at 707 Culbertson.

 ... Some have stated that we can make 707 Culbertson Ave safe quickly. I personally will not accept a quick fix. According to the University of Massachusetts Lab levels of over 300 ppm are not safe for children or pregnant women. They would be at risk for lead poisoning. The current level is 393 ppm. My children will be with me all summer and we have gardener(s) that are expecting. Even if we made the back of the lot safe, the dirt mounds around the Emery's building and the lead paint on the building itself would contaminate our clean soil. Not to mention, where would the money come from to do so? Where would the money and efforts come from to fix the Emery's building? We have lost this season's planting window already. It's time keep looking.

Previously, NABC had donated to the community garden, and Michele phoned me over the weekend, reiterating that because the 707 Culbertson site was now off the table, I had the option to withdraw the contribution ... which I'd been told would be routed to her on behalf of Urban Fusion through Keep New Albany Clean and Green -- not that Clean and Green was running the Urban Fusion show.

Yesterday I asked her to send back the money, and I will redirect it to whatever project Michele comes up with. The point in all this? From the start, Urban Fusion seemed to be Michele's baby. Meanwhile, Daniel Suddeath's newspaper report today makes no mention of Michele at all.

So, who's the organizer, anyway -- and who's in charge?

Organizers say lead contamination won’t hinder community garden in New Albany; Levels were only slightly above trigger level, officials say

NEW ALBANY — Organizers said Wednesday they will proceed with a community garden despite lead contamination being discovered on the Culbertson Avenue site.

The amount of lead found in the soil at 707 Culbertson Ave. is only slightly more than what is considered an acceptable level and measures have already been taken to guard against exposure, Keep New Albany Clean and Green Vice President Jerry Finn said.

The organization is heading the effort to open the Urban Fusion Community Garden at the site, and recently the historic Emery’s Ice Cream Shop building was moved to the property to serve as a planting and canning education center.

Remediation at 707 Culbertson: "Alluvial soil + 200 years of industry = polluted sludge."

Here is what I've gleaned from weekend conversations, as previously discussed here: Urban Fusion update: Soil remediation necessary at 707 Culbertson.

Apparently Michele Finn will be pulling the Urban Fusion Community garden from its projected home at 707 Culbertson and looking elsewhere for a site.

At the same time, Keep New Albany Clean and Green will proceed with remediation (leads, toxins) at the original site.

Last week, NAC reader Gina had an excellent comment on this remediation work, which is applicable whether Urban Fusion remains there or not.

I think this is a great opportunity to raise residents' consciousness about the alluvial soil we live on. It's the perfect Bicentennial project, too.

Q: How do you restore soil that has been contaminated by 200 years of industry to a quality that food could be produced from?

This is a real world challenge, one each of us who owns an urban yard should think about. Alluvial soil + 200 years of industry = polluted sludge, probably two feet thick under our feet. Yum! Do you want to eat tomatoes grown in arsenic and lead? There are also many strong electro-magnetic fields that affect gardens and trees in New Albany.

I say: Let's keep going with Fusion Garden at Culbertson, and have the Phase I part be about REMEDIATION of toxins. What great knowledge to spread; the whole city is a toxic waste dump. Our goal should be actual native life-forms in the Falling Run creek as we clean the upstream watershed.

We have been "abating" our property at Main & 7th for five years now, and we are just getting to wormy good soil, although I still won't eat out of it. But bees and birds and bunnies are back, and this is a good sign.

Again, I think the city has a challenge we shouldn't miss to show how far forward, over time, a city lot can go with the right organic processes.

Historical preservation and revisionism, but with a worthy Community Garden attached.

The group seeking to start a community garden has been hard at work. As a prelude to the following, contributed by Michele Finn, it's helpful to know that the group's target site is adjacent to the former tavern building under renovation at 8th and Culbertson, as corroborated in this Daniel Suddeath newspaper piece.

New Albany’s first community garden space is in the works, as Indiana Landmarks recently donated the lot at 707 Culbertson Ave. for the project.

In addition to plots that can be rented by residents wishing to produce their own yield, the property will also house the former Emery’s Ice Cream Shop building, which will serve as an education center ...

... Greg Sekula, director of Indiana Landmarks Southern Regional office, said he’s hopeful the Emery’s building will be moved to the lot by the end of the month. The New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety has already approved the move of the building from its current location near the intersection of 13th and Main streets.

“We’re glad this seems to be a win-win for everybody,” Sekula said.

Here's the text of Michele's mailing.

---

Hi Everyone,

Things have been coming together very quickly and we have a garden site! I can not confirm the location just yet, there are still a few little things we are working on.

One of the things we are needing at the moment is a name. There are a few ideas mentioned already and I would love to hear a few more. Please keep in mind that one of the purposes of the garden is to unite the community.

So far we have:

United Roots Community Gardens
Fusion Roots Community Gardens
Kaleidoscope's Community Gardens
Sycamore Center Community Gardens
Tutti Community Gardens (meaning all together in italian)

Some items we will be needing soon are:

Large amounts of top soil and compost (we are working on finding the exact amount)
Cedar for the raised beds and part of the fencing.
Compost bins~we will eventually build our own
Several rain barrels (we have one donated already)
Hog Wire Fencing (I will post an example)

If you have any connections for supplies or ideas for fund raising please share and we will do the best we can with what we have.

A couple of things we've been working on are:
Lease agreement
Possible education center
Non profit status
Considering maintenance and up keep once established

Faith Ingle and Smith have agreed to write up our lease and handle our non profit status application at no charge! We will be responsible for the minimal fees for applying but again no charge from the company! I met with them today and it's in the works. A big Thank You to them for supporting our garden!

http://www.faithinglesmith.com/

Chris from Rauch Inc is investigating our bumpy plot to see how much dirt we will need to grade it so that we can put in nice level plots! We are also considering hiring Rauch Inc, who's mission is "To support people with disabilities and their families while encouraging a community that acknowledges the value and contribution of all people" to help with upkeep and maintenance throughout the year. It would be an honor to hire a non profit from within our community!

http://www.rauchinc.org/landscaping_lawn_care.htm

We will hold another meeting once we get the paperwork filled out. It's really happening! We should be able to build the garden (fence and beds) through April and have a garden the first of May! We will need to have a "Build It" party and get the fences and raised beds put together. This will be a "tend your own plot" garden with a communal area that will be donated to a non profit organization. The fee for renting a plot will be decided depending on insurance costs, supply costs, and how successful our fundraising is!

Thank you all for your support and interest!
Please write back with any ideas or questions.

Thanks!
Michele Finn

You saw it here first: The Emery/Culbertson Connection, Phase 453 ...

January 5, 2012: Swank penthouse to crown 8th & Emery’s development.

So, who'd like to be the ATM for this one? After all, the UEA's tapped out after the first round of non-collaborative 8th & Culbertson rescues. River View, can you spare a dime?

ON THE AVENUES: They didn't ask.

ON THE AVENUES: They didn't ask. 

A weekly web column by Roger A. Baylor.

(There was a special edition of this column on Monday: ON THE AVENUES MONDAY SPECIAL: River View's sweet dreams are not enough)

After the rear wall of the 153-year-old Peter Weinmann building at 8th and Culbertson crumbled early in 2011, there was an Indiana Landmarks-led rescue effort. Something about it kept bothering me.

Having previously served a stint on the board of the Urban Enterprise Association, I had a hazy notion that elements of “our” program for the zone might have applied to the situation with the deteriorating structure, but being out of practice and otherwise distracted by work, I couldn’t piece it all together.

Eventually I asked my question to the UEA’s director, Mike Ladd, and he filled in the blanks. I wanted to write about it then, but readers must understand that everyday life for the UEA during the final year of the England/Malysz administration’s last-ditch, crony-empowering megalomania was exceedingly difficult. While the 8th and Culbertson situation was discussed often here at the blog, I remained generally cautious, worried lest the tottering administration’s clear assault on the UEA worsen in intensity.

Now it’s 2012, and in spite of the big flush at midnight on New Year’s Eve, the UEA’s future remains almost as unclear as before. Once again there have been proposals at the state level to dismantle the program, which in my view would be a foolish mistake given what the zone is capable of providing to the community.

Here in New Albany, both council and mayor must finalize their UEA board appointments; without these, there can be no board, no meetings, and among other things, no pay packet for Mike Ladd – which is profoundly unfair to him, although just a bit outside my reasoning for covering this material today.

The question I asked Ladd last year was this: “Was there a better way to save the building at 8th and Culbertson?”

Here is his response, tardy but thought-provoking.

---

"Being inside the Urban Enterprise Zone, the building at Eighth and Culbertson is eligible for the EZ-2 Investment Deduction; meaning that the purchase price and any subsequent improvements are eligible for the tax credit, as long as a private party makes the purchase.

"However, the EZ-2 does not work for Indiana Landmarks, which now owns the building. The reason is because Indiana Landmarks is a nonprofit organization and this deduction applies to for-profit entities only.

"The best-case scenario would have been for the purchaser to buy the building in its then-collapsed condition. The purchaser then could have applied to the county assessor’s office for a new (and probably lower) assessed value. Had we been involved, we would have assisted the purchaser with that effort.

"Currently the property is assessed in the $74,000 range. The purchaser could have bought the property for $20K (which is the price Indiana Landmarks paid), gotten the property reassessed and then begun his or her improvements. This new assessed value ($74,000 or lower) would have been set as his assessed value for the next decade once he claimed the EZ-2 Investment Deduction.

"As it stands now, the taxable portion of the stabilization costs actually increase the assessed value of this building, thus reducing the potential savings the new buyer could have claimed. The purchase price under the increased assessed value plus his improvements will now be all he can claim. Just to make it clear: any purchaser has lost out on the savings he could have realized without anyone stabilizing the structure.

"To further illustrate the point: We know that it costs $80K ($20K for purchase plus $60K for stabilization) to put the building into usable condition. This $80K has the effect of increasing the final assessed value at the time the private purchaser makes the buy. Now we’re looking at an assessed value of $154,000 instead of $74,000. (I’m talking theoretically on the assessed value here, but it illustrates the point. I doubt the assessed value will be $154,000, but the stabilization costs will definitely increase the assessed value significantly.)

"The stabilization costs are going to add to the increased assessed value because Indiana Landmarks, Redevelopment Commission, Horseshoe Foundation and the Enterprise Zone are all non-profit or governmental entities, and are not eligible to apply for the EZ-2 investment deduction and therefore not eligible to apply at this time (or any other) for this deduction.

"The bottom line is that any purchaser has been deprived of additional savings he could have realized over a decade-long period; limited funds from the public and non-profit sectors have been diverted from (arguably) other important projects."

---

In December of 2011, the News and Tribune quoted Greg Sekula of Indiana Landmarks:

"Sekula said a contractor signed an intent-to-purchase agreement to buy the property if the structure can be upgraded within a certain time frame, and there’s other interested parties in the building as well."

To be sure, it’s far too late for this question, but in light of what the UEA might have been able to do to help prospective buyers of the Peter Weinmann building, and owing to fundamental considerations of transparency, surely it’s fair to ask whether any of these zone mechanisms were mentioned during the original closed-door meetings, which led to the quintessential New Albanian “rescue” plan by power-broker’s diktat?

Why ask?

It’s because transparency is important, and in this case, there was none. It’s because we always should learn from our experiences, so as to avoid past difficulties and promote better future decision-making. It’s because the UEA already has a toolbox, and doesn't it make sense to use the UEA toolbox as part of a pre-emptive, pro-active plan, as opposed to casting around for convenient ATMs to be plucked when a crisis like this finally comes?

Of course, it also makes more sense to enforce the ordinances we already have as a city, so our elderly buildings and the people in them are not neglected to the point of collapse … but one miracle at a time, please.

Swank penthouse to crown 8th & Emery’s development.

The latest design for the bold new 8th & Emery’s historical reclamation condo project was unveiled yesterday at an ice cream social held in broad daylight atop the recently resurfaced Culbertson Street.

Retired mayor Doug England, who said he still expects the UEA to pay “or else,” was joined by former city hall twin Carl Malysz, as well as various landmarks and preservation dignitaries.

“This kills several birds with one stone,” noted Malysz. “The historically significant ice cream shop gets hoisted up there to be an uppity penthouse on blocks, attracting the same champagne-sipping demographic as River View, and the UEA gets bankrupted in the process. It’s a win-win for the city.”

“Even though I’m not still mayor,” added England, “It doesn’t mean the UEA still isn’t the city’s goddamned ATM. You punch in the numbers, the money comes out, and someone else takes credit.”

“Ideal,” agreed Malysz.

Those in attendance lauded the innovative building plan devised by the Dudgeon architectural firm, which solved the problem of access to the new penthouse by means of old-school technology: A basket and pulley system once mentioned in a halftime pep talk by the über-sexy college football coach Howard Schnellenberger, who once visited the monasteries of Meteora during the Carter years while on a recruiting visit to central Greece, and saw linebackers being hoisted from the valley floor to waiting orthodox monks.

In the photo above, State Representative Ed Clere, a staunch proponent of spending the UEA’s money if it means not having to ask Uncle Mitch for more gas money, is seen crossing Culbertson in the facsimile prayer basket. “This is a come-to basket, and it will put Hoosiers back to work,” said Clere about the conveyance.

"I also hear they're hiring at Chick-fil-A," added Clere.

A spokesperson for Develop New Albany promised that the penthouse alone would sell for $350,000, non-remunerable to “those assholes at the UEA,” but  instead to be used to finance administrative costs at the S. Ellen Jones NSP. Although the delineated area of the NSP does not include the 8th & Emery’s structure, “It’s close enough, and I need the cash.”

They're not the only ones. According to the Sawhorse Foundation, “If you see Mike Ladd, can you tell him we need that check, ASAP?”

2011 Highlights & Lowlights: Old tavern building confusion and related fears and loathing.

When it came to historic structures, we spent the year somewhat confused about priorities.

When we weren't looking, Pauline's disappeared.

But a different Götterdämmerung was performed at 8th & Culbertson.

And Dan Coffey was right: The Urban Enterprise Association is not City Hall’s ATM.

Although the Horseshoe Board later changed its mind, the weirdness surrounding decision-making at 8th & Culbertson caused even these charitable pillars to cock a collective eyebrow.

Autonomous visions experience unexpected Horseshoe board dissonance.

In the end, it was easier to blame the messenger than articulate a coherent case.

Toxicity: In a nutshell, here is the case against me.

A cavity rapidly being filled.

Nash: "A little bit of hodge podge."

From the controversy at 8th and Culbertson, to the future of the North Annex and Community Park's threatened green space, and back to State Street improvements, sans bike lanes ... Matt covers much ground in today's column, and ties it together in the end.

NASH: A little bit of hodge podge

One of the problems I have is that I may have an opinion on any number of topics every week, I just don’t always have enough to say about it that could fill an entire column. This is one of those weeks. Sometimes I hope by the end of the article that I can tie everything together but we’ll just see how it goes.

Autonomous visions experience unexpected Horseshoe board dissonance.

Non-transparent back room tactics succeeded in influencing the UEA's vote, albeit narrowly, but it would appear that that Horseshoe Foundation's board members didn't get the memo.

ON THE AVENUES: Brother, Can You Spare $12,500?

Clearly, the foundation board's balkiness is a rebuke to the executive director, who has taken the lead in negotiating this and other foundation commitments. All of it prompts a simple question, which I believe might already have been asked, although I cannot recall hearing the answer:

Why are we as a city constantly outsourcing ad hoc plans for historic preservation, downtown beautification and the use of the Riverfront Amphitheater to one vision (among many) to be funded by the Horseshoe Foundation?

Drive to save historic New Albany house slowed; Horseshoe board waiting on more detailed plan, by Daniel Suddeath (OSIN)

Jerry Finn, executive director of the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County, said an updated proposal will be brought to the board when it convenes Aug. 10 ...

... (Kevin) Zurschmiede said the Horseshoe board has not been involved in a restoration project such as what is being proposed before, and that it could lead to a situation where several organizations ask for money to rehabilitate dilapidated structures.

8th and Culbertson: Salient back stories?

The drawing above shows the boundaries of the Midtown Renaissance area in black, with red circles showing the initial rehab concentration areas. I inserted the green circle and arrow, the latter pointing to the northwest corner of 8th and Culbertson, where the partially collapsed former tavern building has engendered much discussion of late.

The green circle illustrates the curious fact that the area adjacent to the deteriorating structure, a small salient of houses enclosed by Fairview Cemetery, is omitted from the rehab target area. I don't know why, and am hoping someone involved in MR can explain it to me.

Given that more than one structure at the corner in question is/was owned by the same notorious deadbeat slumlord (some still actually stand), and as a result, the vicinity suffered much degradation, it seems ideal for inclusion.

Why does this matter? We're belatedly being asked by proponents of saving the tavern building to consider the northwest corner of 8th and Culbertson as a potentially critical nexus for Midtown Renaissance, even though it lies somewhat on the furthest perimeter of rehabs as delineated during the first round, and was not even included within boundaries when the project was commissioned.

Why? Commercial vs. residential?

This omission may or may not suggest anything at all, other than typifying a pathetic phenomenon too obvious to be denied: The chronic, longstanding neglect of the building by all parties involved until precisely one minute after the collapse at the structure's rear. Now, emergency measures -- and emergency monies -- are required. One wonders when, and if, we ever learn.

The presence nearby of the cemetery, which anywhere except New Albany would be a park-like showcase for revitalized housing, and the old Robinson-Nugent campus provide persuasion for the notion that the damaged building at 8th and Culbertson might indeed (and ideally) become a neighborhood pivot of the sort being minted of late.

But the question: Why did we wait until the alarms are ringing at crunch time to elucidate the vision? Has something else changed that we should know? Has a new vision come into focus since the bricks started falling?

Is it pragmatism or politics, or just another example of the New Albany Syndrome in full flowering?