Except Nawbany: "After devoting more than a century of planning and engineering effort to the movement and storage of cars above all other considerations, U.S. cities have suddenly, temporarily shifted priorities."

"While it's so far only a temporary change, the sudden popularity of al fresco streets—a term we are using until a more universally accepted term comes along—presents undeniable evidence that some things in the United States are, for now at least, more important than allowing for the automobile's every possible convenience."

Where's our new redevelopment director in all this? Shouldn't we be talking about al fresco streets in New Albany, too?

Josh Staten came to us well recommended. He knows his urbanism. But here's the thing. Jeff Gahan's campaign finance pay-for-play patronage scheme depends in large measure on contractors who do roads, and paving ... and automobile supremacy.

I'm still hoping Josh can turn that around. But how much can he do when the boss man (a) is clueless, and (b) depends on cars for political succor?

Maybe when Gahan's gone. Maybe then, we can be a real city.

Cities Are Suddenly a Little Less Car-Centric, by James Brasuell (Planetizen)

After devoting more than a century of planning and engineering effort to the movement and storage of cars above all other considerations, U.S. cities have suddenly, temporarily shifted priorities.

... The sudden proliferation of al fresco streets marks a substantial advancement of the cause represented by those scattered few examples of anti-car political success. We shouldn't discount the political achievement, however fleeting, of this unprecedented shift in the balance of political power. The automobile could still end up being the long-term victor in the post-pandemic reality to come. But for now, we are witnessing history.

To create an al fresco street, politicians must legislatively approve the removal of regulations and other obstacles for outdoor operation—of which, there are many (again, the car has been king for over a century). Preceding interventions—complete streets, open streets, shared streets, tactical urbanism, play streets, slow streets, parklets, Park(ing) Day, and Better Block—have tested some of the concepts of a post-car retrofit. Variations on those previous experiments are visible in some of the examples of al fresco streets that have emerged so far.

Council rejects Gahan's, Redevelopment's Colonial Manor tax increment financing lollapalooza by a 5-4 vote. Alterations to come?

It might surprise you to hear me say that overall, tonight's council meeting was one of the most informative in a good while. The pros and cons of Team Gahan's Redevelopment Commission resolution to spend $2.6 million to acquire the Colonial Manor property were presented, and it was rejected 5-4, with the three council Republicans and two Independents against, and the body's four Democrats in favor.

Council president Blair's pre-vote summary of the stakes involved was very good. Interestingly, the Redevelopment Commission's visiting Indy lawyer Zoeller from the firm of Frost Brown and Todd ...

 ... which is a frequent Gahan campaign donor, stated that any amendments attached by council to the resolution would require Redevelopment's approval. However council's lawyer confirmed that no amendments could be attached; it was yes or no only.

Blair aired his frustrations with the Redevelopment Commission's overall autonomy and secretive nature. He suggested Redevelopment take out an option for purchase to allow time to incorporate council's points. Al Knable and others noted that it might be the only chance we get to "do" Colonial Manor right, and so it would be advisable to take our time and resist haste.

In turning down tonight's resolution, council in effect sends it back to Redevelopment with helpful post-it notes for changes sufficient to garner future council approval. For example, a comprehensive Charlestown Road corridor study is urged to be a part of what comes back for consideration. Other caveats include a citizen advisory committee and public input meetings that genuinely seek participation and not the rubber-stamping of pre-determined outcomes.

Given that the Redevelopment Commission is regarded by Jeff Gahan as his personal plaything, and the Colonial Manor purchase with the TIF One Platinum card plainly was intended as a rushed feather in Dear Leader's re-election bonnet, things now get interesting.

Don't forget next week's listening session. There might be more tomorrow, but right now, I'm tired.

Previously:

Researcher says: "In most cases around the country TIF did not fulfill its main goal of boosting economic development."

ON THE AVENUES: Amid Deaf Gahan's "victory" over grassroots activists at Colonial Manor, the toxic paranoia is no less rancid.

City Hall's staged Colonial Manor farce: It was INFORMATIONAL, you see, not COMMENTATIONAL. Deaf Gahan can't help it if voters don't know the lingo.

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: It's the Colonial Manor video Jeff Gahan didn't want you to see last night.

Colonial Manor redevelopment visioning to be the subject of a public meeting on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

One must remember at all times that whatever it is, Jeff Gahan was for it before anyone else -- unless it's bad, then he was against it from the very start. Dear Leader does not make mistakes, and genuinely believes he's been error-free since 2012.

Which doesn't explain the Bud Light Mang-O-Rita in his hand.

As the emperor's acolytes fit him for some brand new clothes, we turn to the Colonial Manor center on Charlestown Road. Redevelopment is having a public meeting, and we can only hope that the advent of Josh Staten as director implies an actual willingness to listen at such events. I'm optimistic. Staten studied at the University of Louisville with John Gilderbloom, and that's strong medicine.

Folks in the neighborhood have a Facebook page called Colonial Manor Redevelopment Visioning.

The purpose of this citizen-organized, grassroots, non-partisan Facebook Group is to envision possibilities and positive ideas for the potential redevelopment of the Colonial Manor center area on Charlestown Road in New Albany. It is designed to collect ideas, primarily from those living in or doing business within a one-mile radius of Colonial Manor, in advance of a city redevelopment public hearing set for Wednesday, March 20, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. This public hearing is at Fairmont Elementary School and you are cordially invited and encouraged to attend and express your thoughts and ideas then, too.

It's interesting how all this came about. Grassroots activists attended more than one public meeting to petition for action, and were told by the administration that it already was so shocked and appalled by the recent demise of Arby's that the imminent awarding of no-bid contracts to outside consulting firms for top-down revitalization plans was a lead-pipe certainty. Piggy banks have ears, and at Gahan's vault they're twitching in anticipation. 

Well, I always told you the higher-ups were eating lunch at Arby's -- and of course, the problems in the Colonial Manor area long predate the dismantlement of a single unfortunate artery-clogging fast-food grease trap, but I suppose we must begin somewhere.

As such, see you Wednesday. I'll be there early, hoping this time will be different, and preparing to drink heavily if it isn't ... and either way, #FireGahan2019

Quiet no longer, Josh Staten makes the newspaper: "New Albany reveals new redevelopment, economic development director."

Previously we grappled with the implications.

Redevelopment welcomes Josh Staten as its new director. So does this mean Duggins is 4-ever NAHA? Let's follow the money.

Former councilman John Gonder's viewpoints always are well-considered and thoughtful, which surely is why Mayor Gahan brutally sabotaged Gonder's re-election bid in 2015. Gonder appended this comment to NAC's post.

I would consider the appointment of Josh Staten as the Director of Redevelopment to be the most hopeful sign I've seen in New Albany's City Government in a long time. I wish him well.

That's reassuring.

City Hall's strangely subdued stealth in introducing its new redevelopment and economic development director stands in stark contrast to the hosannas accorded David Duggins, Staten's matinee idol predecessor, who came to us with the persona and press clippings of a rock star, and proceeded to trash his share of hotel rooms.

Staten is highly qualified and young, and that's a good start. He's also intimately connected to the AdamBot's hypocritical-by-design DemoDisneyDixiecratic party apparatus -- and that's not as good. We'll have to wait and see.

Hey, Irving Joshua -- how's that job search for a permanent bulldozer maintenance mechanic going over at NAHA? Inquiring minds want to know, even if you don't want to tell us.

New Albany reveals new redevelopment, economic development director, by Danielle Grady (News and Tribune)

NEW ALBANY — Josh Staten, a New Albany High School graduate, has mostly worked in the Kentuckiana area throughout his life. Well, except for a recently ended 10-month period when he was a planner in Florida. But now Staten is back in Southern Indiana for a position to which he couldn’t say no: redevelopment and economic development director for the City of New Albany.

“I always wanted to work in redevelopment, economic development. That’s just where my background is as far as studies are concerned,” said Staten, who has two master’s degrees from the University of Louisville, one in public administration and the other in urban planning. “And the idea of me getting a chance to come back to my hometown where I grew up and do this job was something I definitely jumped at immediately.”

Staten quietly started working for the city on Feb. 28 after an eight-month search by the city to replace the former director, David Duggins, who now is the interim executive director of the New Albany Housing Authority.

Redevelopment welcomes Josh Staten as its new director. So does this mean Duggins is 4-ever NAHA? Let's follow the money.

"Just stick it over there, where
that nasty historic building used to be." 

Jeeebus, what a week.

Just for the fun of it, let's take a glance at a couple of items from the March 13 minutes of the Redevelopment Commission.

New Albany City Hall hasn't blasted a propaganda blurb in a whole month, and it strikes me as strange that the hiring of Josh Staten as redevelopment director hasn't been the subject of one of the usual PR puff pieces.

Maybe it's because City Hall isn't interested in answering the natural follow-up question: If David Duggins has departed redevelopment permanently (this crowd is on its feet), then does this mean his "interim" status at the helm of NAHA's bulldozer fleet also has evaporated?

Or, will someone else be hired?

If so, how's the job search going, Irving Joshua?

I'm so old I can remember when Duggins told me he just couldn't earn enough money in government as opposed to the private sector, and that he was stooping to mere farthings solely out of a deep and abiding faith -- in Dear Leader.

Now Duggins is a 125K-per annum lifer -- but don't worry, Mike Hall; the News and Tribune won't ever think to ask, and if it does, just threaten to pull all those ads.

Hanson will shut up, fast.

As an aside, last night Mark reminded me of another one of those glorious episodes of "truthful dialogue" that Pat McLaughlin mentioned in his doomed resolution of censure. Duggins still was redevelopment's handsome matinee idol, and he was being questioned (I think) by former 5th district councilwoman Diane Benedetti.

Benedetti asked Duggins about the then-rumor that sewer tap-in waivers were being awarded Flaherty and Collins, filthy rich developer of the Breakwater apartments. Duggins replied that yes, the topic had come up, but it remained purely optional.

Subsequently it was shown that in fact, the waivers already had been approved prior to Benedetti's question and Duggins' "truthful dialogue." 

Prompting this recollection was David Barksdale's report about redevelopment activities, as given at Monday evening's city council meeting. He gleefully teased us with tidings of a hotel to come somewhere in New Albany.

A quick glance at the Dora Hospitality portfolio reveals a dreadful collection of plasticized cookie-cutter hotel brands best suited to suburban interchanges. It isn't much in keeping with historic preservation, and now I'm terrified that more tap-in waivers will be distributed like Halloween candy to developers from afar.

Of course, maybe Josh Staten intends to be a different kind of Gahanite campaign finance conduit.

We shall see.

(This post has been updated to include this postscript and web site link to HMI, or Hospitality Marketers International, the company chosen by the Redevelopment Commission to conduct a hotel market study, as recommended to the commission by the hotel group and a realtor -- not that there's anything necessarily wrong with that. Thank you, CA.)