17 JUN 08: BAKER'S TOAST
A mountain of rubbish currently sits across the street from the Frank Chester Recreation Center. At last there's finally some terrain to symbolize the "Benning Hills."
The mountain of rubbish is there because demolition crews have plowed under the old Baker Village Apartments. The buildings which looked a bit like military barracks are gone - and all that's left now is open dirt, along with several trees. The work crews did need a shady place to eat lunch, after all.
The Monday evening news revealed the replacement residences on Benning Drive will NOT carry the name "Baker Village." This approach is similar to what happened with the old Peabody Apartments. They were replaced by "Ashley Station" - yet you can't find an Ashley Furniture store anywhere close to it.
Can you really blame the Housing Authority of Columbus for changing the name of this area? The name "Baker Village" developed a negative connotation over the years, due to crime and drug problems. In fact, this change might give Zephaniah Baker a bit of hope in his state House race against Calvin Smyre.
Amy Moore with the Housing Authority of Columbus says the name for the former Baker Village complex is down to five final contenders. From the current state of the terrain, a good name might be Chester's Field....
Amy Moore hopes 148 rental units will be ready on the site in two years. People who were forced to move from the Baker Village Apartments will have the first chance to sign up. Some of us hope those people will be required to pass a criminal background check first.
But perhaps you're looking for something a little nicer than the former Baker Village. As it happened, Monday's snail mail brought a copy of "Office and Commercial" - a monthly magazine listing business properties for sale across the Columbus area. The idea of a blogger having a big marquee outside his massive computer room sounds a little tempting....
Some familiar locations are listed in the June issue of Office and Commercial -- and some of the prices being offered might surprise you:
+ The old Krystal near 14th and Veterans Parkway, for $650,000. C'mon, White Castle - you could sell that many burgers in three months.
+ The former Cobb Memorial Hospital in Phenix City, for slightly under four million dollars. And you can keep any hidden stashes of prescription drugs, at no extra charge.
+ The Aaron's building at 12th and Broadway, for two million dollars. With a name like Aaron's on it, you'd think customers could sign a "rent-to-own" plan.
+ The building next to Applebee's on Gentian Boulevard, for $1.5 million. Rio Bravo, Chevy's and Wild Fish restaurants all failed there. So don't take on the neighbor's directly -- open a Cheesecake Factory, and get diners to waddle next door for dessert.
And other well-known business properties could soon join the listings. The Ledger-Enquirer noted the other day that A.C. Moore plans to close its art and hobby supply store at Columbus Park Crossing. Who needs paint brushes and colored pencils when you have Photoshop software?
E-MAIL UPDATE: A reader is not pleased with something on today's Columbus Council agenda....
CITY ATTORNEY'S AGENDA
FOR THE MEETING OF JUNE 17, 2008
(11) 1st Reading - An ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Columbus Code so as to limit appearances on the Public Agenda to once per month by any individual; and for other purposes. (Councilor McDaniel)
Dear Council;
This is an outrageous attempt to eliminate our democratic rights, if you do this you will surely incur the wrath of most of the population. I think this may be challengeable. It restricts our First Amendment rights as well redress of grievances before the government.
You should not be able to say we cannot talk to you because you will not allow it.
If you do this you will see a public uprising. This attempt is an outrageous attempt to operate like nazis.
Deborah Owens
Now hold on - if you can still speak before Columbus Council once a month, that's not exactly an "elimination." The Nazis could have told you what a real elimination is. And based on the people rescued from World War II camps, they didn't even accomplish that.
Keep in mind "public agenda" time for citizen comments does not exist in Georgia state legislative sessions. You need a special invitation to address the state House or Senate -- and we hope Northside High School will let the baseball coach they took from Pacelli take advance of that next year.
And they certainly don't allow ordinary citizens to speak up, during U.S. Congressional sessions. You may have noticed Michael J. Fox and other TV stars have to settle for House committee hearings, and hope C-SPAN shows them live....
If I've heard any comments about the "open mike" time at Columbus Council meetings, it's that the usual few suspects orators show up every week and hog the microphone. Bill Madison of the NAACP comments so much that someone should give him a weekly radio show to.... oh wait. Doesn't he still have that on WRCG?
This would make a wonderful Big Blog Question, except another one is already in progress. So we'll move on to the Monday news headlines....
+ Employees staged an early-morning protest outside the Mead WestVaco plant in Cottonton. They apparently plan to picket for several weeks, demanding higher pay. Maybe if the management offered to print checks on the plant's highest-quality paper....
+ State Rep. Carolyn Hugley held a town hall meeting, to explain the upcoming new Georgia "concealed carry" gun law. I'm not sure why some people are making a big fuss about this. Aren't people with pocket knives concealing them already?
+ Instant Message to Paula Deen: I'm glad your Savannah restaurant "The Lady and Sons" was able to reopen, after that Sunday night fire. What was Monday's special - smoked salmon?
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