GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Why is the New Albany Housing Authority buying commercial property at the dumping grounds downtown on State Street?

Situated between 150 parking spaces for a ballfield complex used only in warm weather (outlined in yellow) and State Street, which connects the downtown business district and the chain-filled mini-exurb by the interstate, are commercial properties that include a new Family Dollar (north), an older metal building once housing a beer wholesaler and later a fireworks peddler (south), as well as what used to be Lang Auto, inhabited for some years now by Denny Andres (Double A Properties, outlined in red).

To put it gently, Andres' stewardship of the property has been, well, widely questioned.

For several months it has been rumored that after countless years of talking a big game and doing nothing, City Hall would be purchasing Andres' properties. No mention was made of brown field remediation costs, but first things first. The Green Mouse glanced at the Elevate site a few weeks ago, and saw no changes. However, now there's an alteration, and it's a strange one.

We speak here of the wedge outlined in blue.

Andres' other Elevate listings show his Floyds Knobs home address, but this one doesn't.

300 Erni Avenue should be a familiar address to regular readers.

That's right: It's the New Albany Housing Authority, and a "Power to Grab Today" scratch sheet presumably lying atop Gauleiter Duggins' desk next to the moldering Arby's wrappers.

The Green Mouse can find no evidence indicating that Andres has donated to Gahan4Life for the privilege of playing, but maybe the bunker drain trust is taking no chances and hiring him to work at NAHA, as they did councilman Matt Nash.

Meanwhile, the two former Lang Auto properties are still shown as being owned by Andres.

It seems Andres already has a fall-back strategy at the former radiator shop on Vincennes. It's in his son's name, which may or may not be important.

There's an over-arching question of the sort newspaper reporters might ask during those rare idle moments between penning columns urging religious zealotry. In caps, so perhaps Chris Morris sees it:

WHY HAS NAHA EMBARKED ON A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY-BUYING SPREE?

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Bet you didn't know NAHA owns these properties on two corners of Main and Vincennes. Why? 

The redevelopment of the Vincennes corridor might begin right here, at the former Ray's Exhaust & Radiator.

I walked down Vincennes Street to Mathes Pharmacy last week and noticed that Ray's Exhaust & Radiator looked deserted, because in spite of all the ups and downs in my employment history, it's hard to stop looking at buildings like this without seeing future breweries -- and yes, it's far enough removed from the high school to be licensed.

If I'm not mistaken, the irony in this instance is that until recently, and maybe even now, descendants of the family that used to own the brewery (circa 1900) on 10th Street between Spring and Market also had the Ray's property. 

On Monday, the "for sale" sign at Ray's was up. Just remember, if you're looking to make a million in the beer business, best start with five (million).

Two other vacant commercial properties are perched on Vincennes within a stone's throw of Ray's.

As you'll note by the presence of sharrow paint (already fading after last year's paving), Vincennes Street is "bicycle friendly."

(insert guffaws here)

Add just one thing, and the mini-commercial district is ready for its naming rights to be vended by the DemoDisneyDixiecrats -- after Redevelopment kicks in a few million from TIF.