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February 15, 2012

Work continues on Baptist Tabernacle in New Albany

By CHRIS MORRIS Chris.Morris@newsandtribune.com

NEW ALBANY — While some may not see much in the way of improvements, rehabilitation work on the Baptist Tabernacle building in New Albany is continuing.

Keystone Restoration purchased the building — located at 318 E. Fourth St. — for $1 in exchange for footing the rehabilitation work, which has been estimated in earlier reports to cost as much as $175,000.

On Tuesday afternoon, Tom Johnson and John Schnurr with Keystone Restoration told the New Albany Redevelopment Commission that three of the four masonry walls have been stabilized. Schnurr said getting a roof on the structure is the next big step in restoring the building. He said he hopes to have trusses for the roof in six to eight weeks, and once those are delivered, work will continue.

“A lot of the public has weighed in on this,” said Diane McCartin-Benedetti, a member of the redevelopment commission and New Albany City Council president. “People are wanting a roof on it and want it to start looking better. I want to make sure we are still on target.”

Schnurr and Johnson insisted once the trusses are delivered a roof will be placed on the building.

The Baptist Tabernacle building has been exposed to the elements since hurricane-force winds ripped away its roof in September 2008.  Keystone Restoration is a New Albany business located at 141 W. Main St. The company has reconditioned several historic structures.

According to the deal agreed to last year by the redevelopment commission, Keystone must provide an updated timeline on when a roof will be installed on the church, the company must obtain liability insurance for the structure and provide the commission with a financial plan. After the three requirements are met, the city will be allowed to give Keystone Restoration the deed.

“It’s a slow process,” said Carl Malysz, director of community housing initiatives for the city. “I think they are making headway.”

Malysz said the commission would continue to get updates on the progress of the work.



Spring Street Hill update

The redevelopment commission approved an interim financing plan to repair Spring Street Hill Road, which was damaged by heavy rain last April and has been closed since. The cost to repair the road is about $540,000, and the commission approved a plan to use State Street Parking Garage TIF funds as an interim funding source to get the work started.

The city is still hoping Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay 75 percent of the costs. The funds will eventually be repaid to the TIF. Spring Street Hill Road connects Silver Hills with the west end of New Albany.



Rainbow Drive update

New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan said Monday that work on the Rainbow Drive improvement project is nearing completion. He said he hopes the road will reopen at the end of March or early April.

The project, being paid for with Charlestown Road TIF funds, includes a new bridge, curb-gutter sidewalks and drainage upgrades. Dan Cristiani Excavating Company Inc. is completing the work which has a price tag of nearly $1.5 million.

Gahan said the city is waiting for asphalt companies to begin operations again in order to complete the work.

“This is really going to be a nice project,” Gahan said. “It will be a huge improvement for the part of the city.”

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Esther Book, of Starlight, stems strawberries so they can be washed and prepared for the strawberry shortcake booth at the 34th annual Starlight Strawberry Festival at St. John's Church on Saturday afternoon.

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