Department of City-Owned Chicanery: Why did the city pay $300,000 for this (now) vacant lot at the corner of Culbertson and E. 5th?

Gone, but at a ridiculously inflated price.

The 502 Culbertson property facing Fairview Cemetery was purchased in 2017 for $350,000, two-and-a-half-times the price paid by the previous owner in 2011. It was a horribly maintained slumlord property recently boarded up. A few months ago the building was demolished and seeded, and now it's (yet another) vacant lot.

According to Elevate, the city of New Albany purchased the property in January for $300,000. There are derelict houses on all sides, and even the assessed value of a mere $47,800 seems too high -- so why has the city paid more than six times the assessed value to own it?

I'm intentionally withholding the name of the previous owner; let is suffice to say that he owns seemingly half of Southern Indiana.

Please forward to your council representative with a question: What sort of chicanery is taking place at 502 Culbertson?

(Thanks to B for the tip)

Centenary adaptive reuse: "What about a homeless shelter?"

A regular reader offered this insightful comment about the impending sale of Centenary United Methodist Church.

Centenary United Methodist Church, downtown -- it's half a city block, now up for sale.

The disconnect between wants and needs is particularly vivid.

From the listing:

"A fantastic opportunity in Downtown New Albany. Maybe you're not looking for a church home, but what about living space? Something cool, hip and funky with a millennial vibe. We also need more senior housing with some independent living. You could mix it up with co-existence of space that caters to all walks of life. This property offers lots of creative uses. What about a boutique hotel?"

What about a homeless shelter? From the story:

Centenary does its share to feed those in need by opening its food pantry from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Free meals are also served at the church twice a week — at 6 p.m. Thursday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Centenary serves 18 percent of Floyd County residents through its food pantry where those in need are allowed to take items once a month. Akins-Banman also said more families are coming to the weekly free meals.

"Yesterday [Tuesday] we had so many veterans come in who needed food," Akins-Banman said. "There is so much need."

Hopefully one of the other churches or organizations downtown pick up those Thursday and Sunday free meal times, because that's going to be a huge loss for the community.

Good point, Jim. Very good point.

But we must remember that City Hall as presently occupied will not publicly acknowledge the existence of unsightliness, whether homelessness, hunger or opioid addiction. The mayor believe irrefutable truth reflects badly on his hermetic "special interests first" kingdom, and so he stares resolutely in the opposite direction. Take the proposition to the city's top leaders, and boutique hotel wins in a landslide.

It's sad. Very sad.

Centenary United Methodist Church, downtown -- it's half a city block, now up for sale.

I took the photos in late August after learning Centenary's sale was impending, but saw no reason to "break" the story.

Everything in due time.

Now that it's public knowledge, reuse options are an interesting diversion; somewhere between 80 and 100 parking spaces are in back, which might also be prime for anti-car-centric infill. 

Mike Kopp has the realtor's brief. We don't need any more food and drink, do we?

Housing, on the other hand ...

Centenary United Methodist Church in New Albany for sale, by Chris Morris (Tom May Hyper Content Meatgrinder)

Congregation plans to move to another site

NEW ALBANY — Centenary United Methodist Church in New Albany will celebrate its 180th birthday next year. While the congregation continues to be very active in the community, the numbers of those attending Sunday service have dwindled in recent years. It is becoming harder and more expensive to maintain the building at 309 E. Spring St., prompting church members to make a difficult decision.

The property, including the church, parsonage and parking lot, is now for sale ...

Mike Kopp says: These two historic downtown buildings are about to be reborn.

Yesterday on Twitter, realtor Mike Kopp reported two downtown building transactions.

First, the former Liz at Home (with a second floor office) at 141-143 East Main, just opposite the old Abe's Rental, itself currently being renovated.

About this building, the New Albany Historic Preservation Commission tells all:

Conner Block
141 East Main Street
New Albany, IN 47150

This was originally a four-story structure, which has housed numerous businesses since its construction in 1855. The earliest tenant was John R. Nunemacher, who had his City Bookstore and publishing company here. In the 20th century, the following companies occupied the building: Rhodes-Burford Co., furniture and carpet; The Tribune Co., New Albany Tribune, New Albany Ledger and Tribune; and Karl Fenger & Son Hardware. Later, Reisz Furniture Company's 'Pilgrim Shop' sold Early American-style furniture and reproductions of Colonial pieces out of this storefront.

The drawing below shows the building circa 1890, at its original height. The building likely took on its current configuration following the 1937 flood; at that time, two other four-story buildings along Main Street were damaged and subsequently reduced to two stories.

Building Style: Greek Revival
Year Built: 1855

The second structure set for an overdue return to usefulness is the Jacob Goodbub Building at 213 Pearl Street.

Once again, the NAHPC fills in the blanks and pulls away the aluminum foil.

Jacob Goodbub Building
213-215 Pearl Street
New Albany, IN 47150

This Italianate was constructed in 1888 and was originally two storefronts. 213 was occupied by Mrs. A. Heleringer, milliner, for almost forty years. The boot and shoe business of C. Schan & Son and later Charles Hassenmiller dry goods occupied 215. By 1919, the Sample Shoe House had taken in both storefronts, and in the 1925 New Albany City Directory Louis Berlin was listed as having his general merchandise business here through the mid 1940s. Mr. Clarence Benjamin’s Fashion Shop began its long tenure here immediately following Mr. Berlin. During this time, the building was updated with a modern aluminum slipcover, which was removed in 2008 to reveal the ornate limestone detailing below.

Building Style: Italianate
Year Built: 1888

That's all we know for now. Main photos courtesy of Mike Kopp; inset photos are from the NAHPC.

Surprise: These two Main Street buildings have been sold.

Mike Kopp reports two sales on Main Street. Previously the two smaller properties were regarded as dispensable in the context of larger plans for the moldering Reisz building, but now, Mike says they'll both be rehabbed. The image is lifted from his web site.

Copper Moon Art Gallery coming to where the Democrats were.

The Floyd County Democratic Party is without a bricks and mortar home. Adam Dickey told me it's a cost-saving move in a year without local elections. Why not? All one needs these days are some laptops, cell phones and a barroom for using them. Voila -- mass movement.

Moving into the space is the Copper Moon Art Gallery, and Kim Murphy Johnson told me about it on Facebook:

I'm the longtime (more than 20 yrs) Director of Art in Speed Park - the art show held in Sellersburg. I'm opening an art gallery on Pearl St this Fall ... so excited to be part of the historic district downtown!