Linden Meadows Debate

Being a relative newcomer to many of these meat and potatoes issues I'm trying my best to catch up. Crossing up to three time zones and that many or more weather fronts in a 24hr. period for years on end, nets one being out of touch locally.

Linden Meadows is another one that seems to have a lot of individuals up in arms but for no discernable good reason as far as I can tell.

Here is what I know or at least what I think I know;

A) There were houses standing on property that the hospital wanted to build on.

B) The houses were in too good of shape to just bulldoze into oblivian.

C) Said houses got moved to a vacant area that the City of New Albany owns/owned.

D) They are now in the process of being put back on foundations with the intention of selling them to first time low to medium income buyers.

E) The desired affect of this to provide people who are now renting an opportunity to become tax paying homeowners that will take pride in not only their home but the surrounding neighborhood as well.

DAMN!! What genuis ever thought this would work?? Almost sounds like something that someone as out of touch as me would think up!

Any way, on to the objections I've heard/ read;

1) There should be a (another) city park on that property!

MY REPLY) Just how many parks does a city our size really need? From what I've seen, there is sporadic use of the one's already in existance. In addition, I understand there to be other city owned land already set aside for this purpose to replace what was lost at this location. Furthermore, if the city continues to drag it's feet on building inspections and code inforcement, there are going to greenways aplenty about due to structures imploding in on themselves and nature reclaiming the space!

2) The adjoining neighborhood has to endure the unsightly mess and noise of construction during this process!

MY REPLY) Yeah, that is a predictable side affect of building in any area. It occurred at the hospital, Walmart, and every jobsite along Charlestown Road, both commercial and residential. So what exactly is the point of that objection?

I'm sure there are more serious life changing reasons for not wanting this project to go forward so if any of you could fill me in, I'd be grateful.

As for me, I think that anytime you can decrease the percentage of rental property and increase homeownership in a community, it is a win/win for everybody. Owners pay taxes and taxes fuel the economy. Owners also take care of that which they are paying for. Renters do not!

So here I shall leave it for the moment and look forward to you folks out there to fill in the blanks for me.

Oh, and please if you will, just the facts ma'am! I've heard enough emotional rhetoric about building, sewers and the like in our fair city. Thanks!!