Grid Control, Vol. 11: HWC Engineering meets with St. Marks, city officials nowhere to be found.

Earlier today, John Manzo of St. Marks United Church of Christ indicated that HWC Engineering had contacted him and wanted to meet to discuss the church's thoughts about one-way civic communications.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

As John reports, HWC followed through. Film crews from WDRB and WAVE were spotted downtown around lunchtime, having taken their news gathering cues from ... well, we know where this whole business started, don't we?

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So, in following up from yesterday, a couple of us met with the engineering firm, HWC today. To their great credit, they are NOT Ding and Bat. They seem to be willing to help at least not make this as bad as it is.

My annoyance is that we made a considerable investment to make the front of our building accessible. The money could have been used elsewhere but this is where we did it. Had we any clue of what being discussed, this project might not have taken place.

There are two things that disturb me greatly.

The first, is that the placement of the bus stop is in the worst possible location for us. While I know there is not a grand conspiracy against the downtown churches, if there was, they couldn't have pulled it off better. Again, I am not suggesting there is a conspiracy, it's just maddening on how this was planned.

Secondly, the lack of communication. Someone needed to talk to us before this transpired. Since my post yesterday, I greatly appreciate HWC's willingness to talk to us. The head of the company reached out to me yesterday and fulfilled the promise that their Senior Project Manager would come by church today to discuss it. This I greatly appreciate.

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Previously:

Grid Control, Vol. 10: City officials predictably AWOL as HWC Engineering falls on its sword over striping errors.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

Grid Control, Vol. 8: City Hall characteristically mum as HWC Engineering at least tries to answer the cross-hatching question.

Grid Control, Vol. 7: What will the Board of Works do to rectify HWC's striping errors on the north side of Spring Street, apart from microwaving another round of sausage biscuits?

Grid Control, Vol. 6: Jeff Speck tweets about NA's grid changes, and those missed bicycling opportunities.

Grid Control, Vol. 5: Egg on HWC Engineering's well-compensated face as it botches Spring Street's westbound bike buffer cross hatching.

Grid Control, Vol. 4: But this actually isn't a bus lane, is it?

Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.

Grid Control, Vol. 2: Southsiders get six more parking inches, but you gotta love those 10-foot traffic lanes on Spring.

Grid Control, Vol. 1: You people drive so freaking horribly that someone's going to die at Spring and 10th.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

Last week we briefly surveyed the half-block-long yellow curbs.

Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.

 ... (Reporter Chris Morris said City Engineer Larry) Summers said that area is now for TARC buses to pull over and pick up passengers instead of blocking traffic to do so since Spring will just be one lane in each direction. He said he would look into it, but did not make any promises that changes would be made ...

I saw John Manzo's post at Fb just minutes after listening to the testimony of an attendee at last evening's Floyd County Democratic Men's Club quarterly meeting, where Mayor Jeff Gahan rose to announce that his many expenditures accomplishments these past 100 six years are testament to the power of unity and all stakeholders working together.

Delusional or disingenuous? Pick one answer -- and you can't be wrong, either way. As a case in point, just this one little bit from the pastor's post:

"This was supposed to be discussed with us before all of these things happened."

Gahan?

Discuss things?

It's highly unlikely.

If the pastor insists on doubting Dear Leader, Gahan may become disappointed in such a lack of faith devotion. Shining Star of Our Civic Future may be compelled to pack the St, Marks board with sycophantic bobbleheads for hire, annex the church, then quick-claim-deed the property so that requisite luxury apartments can be constructed.

Because: The solemnity of unity, and all the stakeholders obeying together. Here are John's words in cut 'n' paste format.

I would like to thank TARC and the City of New Albany. After (we made) the front of our building completely accessible to our church members and to the many people who utilize our church for all sorts of community services, the city and TARC have made the front of our building a no-parking zone and a bus stop.

This, of course, cannot be changed now because they already milled the road and it would be an additional cost and inconvenience. This was supposed to be discussed with us before all of these things happened, but the engineering firm seems to have approached its job like Ding and Bat.

This, of course, is in addition to the too many times that access to downtown churches has become difficult because of Sunday morning downtown events that regularly block roads.

I have no idea why churches choose to fled the downtown (when) the city cherishes our presence so much.

Maybe, just maybe St. Marks can coax a statement of bureaucratese from HWC Engineering, as NAC has managed to do with regard to botched cross hatching on the north side of Spring Street.

But an admission of error on the part of City Hall?

Ain't happening. Gahan's toxic combination of agoraphobia and narcissism seldom produce repentance.

Previously:

Grid Control, Vol. 8: City Hall characteristically mum as HWC Engineering at least tries to answer the cross-hatching question.

Grid Control, Vol. 7: What will the Board of Works do to rectify HWC's striping errors on the north side of Spring Street, apart from microwaving another round of sausage biscuits?

Grid Control, Vol. 6: Jeff Speck tweets about NA's grid changes, and those missed bicycling opportunities.

Grid Control, Vol. 5: Egg on HWC Engineering's well-compensated face as it botches Spring Street's westbound bike buffer cross hatching.

Grid Control, Vol. 4: But this actually isn't a bus lane, is it?

Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.

Grid Control, Vol. 2: Southsiders get six more parking inches, but you gotta love those 10-foot traffic lanes on Spring.

Grid Control, Vol. 1: You people drive so freaking horribly that someone's going to die at Spring and 10th.

Southern Indiana Equality's annual meeting is Thursday night at St. Marks.

SIE's first annual meeting is Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.

I'll be there.

This will be our first Annual Meeting for Southern Indiana Equality. There will be an election/re-election of officers, Brad will have a state of the company address, we will discuss our future plans and create committees and some of the municipal candidates from Floyd and Clark Counties will also be on hand. We will have our Hands For Equality project on display, and you'll be able to add your hand that night as well. Please plan on attending as your support and participation is the driving force behind our success. The meeting will be held in the School Building at St. Marks (in the Mr. & Mrs. Room 108). The easiest way to find it, is by entering on the 3rd street side under the green awning.

St. Marks UCC: On the right side of New Albany street grid history.

The Glass Menagerie at the Stage on Spring.

We joined the Bookseller and his family last evening for Tennessee Williams's play, The Glass Menagerie, at the Stage on Spring. It's a part-time community theater occupying a church sanctuary, and St. Mark's deserves kudos for being quite clever in hosting. The play was delightful, and you still may be able to get seats for tonight's and tomorrow's final performances. Visit the Facebook event page for the details.

The review at Arts-Louisville.com is worth reading in its entirety, so please do. To me, quite possibly the most important point within the review is quoted below.

Tennessee Williams, Straight Up ... a review of The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, directed by J. R. Stuart. Review by Keith Waits.

... Mr. Stuart has been transforming this space, a little at a time, into a viable theatrical venue, and I daresay he could do most anything here now. Stage on Spring is a little-known gem of a theatrical enterprise, quietly mounting quality productions a little under the radar in New Albany.

Live@5: Have a beer and buy a meal for someone who needs it.

Live@5's last show of the season starts on Friday at 5:00 p.m. with the band Wax Factory. The venue is the 400 block of Bank Street, and there'll be NABC craft beer for purchase until 8:00 p.m.

NABC appreciates being included in the Live@5 concept. Since the event's inception earlier this year, we've always said that a percentage of our summer's profits from beer sales at the event would be given to a worthy local cause. In the hope of ending with a bang and not a whimper, I'm pleased to announce that 100% of beer sales this Friday night will go to the general fund of the soup kitchen at St. Mark's United Church of Christ, Bank Street Brewhouse's neighbor across Spring Street.

If sales this Friday night do not reach my pre-assigned season's percentage, or if bad weather comes through and spoils the show, I'll just top off the night's total. It would be lots more fun if a good crowd comes down, enjoys Wax Factory, and contributes to the cause by having a beer. You needn't over-indulge to take part. I'd rather have 300 people drinking one beer each than the other way around.

REWIND: Five years ago, and the St. Marks demolition.

(Edited with "after" photos)

It's interesting to go back a few years and recall the issue of the day, and I'll try to throw one of these out every now and then. Consider it a follow-up of sorts, even if such reconsiderations are not common in the local media.

R.I.P.: The Swiss Cheese effect claims another downtown victim.

This is the last I’ll have to say about the St. Marks demolition issue; what’s done is done, and there are times when it’s best to move on, though not without a handful of photographic observations.

"We have all this green space that we’re not using. People have to eat."

This is the second time in a week that I've heard about the development of a community garden downtown. It's an encouraging trend that makes good use of or reclaims green space and builds community. Kudos to St. Marks for responding to the city in such a positive way.

St. Marks garden to help feed needy, by Chris Morris (The Tribune).

Lisa Graves said the idea is a simple one. But the benefits are endless.

Graves said it was divine intervention that moved her to start a garden in the rear of St. Marks United Church of Christ at 222 E. Spring St. The garden will face Market Street, and it began to take shape Thursday afternoon.

Learn more about community gardening from the American Community Gardening Association.