City of New Albany Files Lawsuit to Protect Historic Dam

The City of New Albany has initiated legal proceedings against River Heritage Conservancy, Inc. (RHC)/Origin Park and Ecosystems Connections Institute, LLC (ECI) to prevent the removal of the historic Glenwood Park dam, also known as the Providence Mill dam, situated on Silver Creek.

Mayor Jeff Gahan emphasized the dam's importance in providing water supply for fish and wildlife, flood protection, and water levels for recreational opportunities.

“We will protect the functional, recreational, and historical value of this site,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Removing this dam can harm the functions that it currently serves, including providing water supply during times of drought and flood protection during periods of heavy rain. It will also hurt the recreation provided by the dam, reducing the number of days suitable for fishing, kayaking, and swimming. And finally, removal of the dam will hurt the historical value of the site, erasing the history of the people who used and still use this site today. The people of New Albany deserve to have input before a local site is destroyed by out-of-county entities.”

The lawsuit asserts the City's ownership rights and challenges River Heritage Conservancy (Origin Park) and Ecosystems Connections Institute's lack of necessary approvals and permits. Neither Origin Park nor Ecosystems has any ownership rights in the dam. The City expresses concern over the potential negative impacts on flood control, recreation, and historical value. Additionally, despite receiving millions of dollars in public funds, River Heritage and Origin Park have refused to engage with city officials on alternatives. If Origin Park removes the dam, it would cost nearly $2 million to replace.

“We are looking forward to resolving this issue for the residents, conservationists, sportsmen, and historic preservationists of New Albany,” stated City of New Albany’s Corporate Counsel Shane Gibson. “We were hopeful that Origin Park officials would sit down to discuss this with us, but since they have refused to meet, we must resolve this through the court of law.”

"We are taking this legal action to protect our community's functional, recreational, and historical assets," stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. "We have been joined by many local officials and partners in our efforts to protect a valuable city asset. Groups like our historic preservation officers at Indiana Landmarks, the Floyd County Historian, New Albany City Council members, and others have joined us in fighting against this unwelcome, out-of-city infringement on the taxpayers of New Albany.”

Further reading:

October 25, 2016 - City Announces Intentions to Develop Silver Creek Landing

May 16, 2022 - City Breaks Ground on Silver Creek Landing

November 18, 2022 - Origin Park Officials Refuse to Meet with City, despite Unanimous Vote from City Council

A Message From Mayor Gahan

Dear New Albany,

I am so excited about the future of our city.

For many years, I have known that New Albany is a special place. I was lucky enough to grow up here, meet my wife here, and raise a family here, and there is no place that I would rather be. Our River City, nestled against the Ohio River, and settled below Floyds Knobs, is starting to come alive – and people are taking notice.

Over the past twelve years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve as your Mayor. During that time, we have worked tirelessly to invest in assets that bring new opportunities to our neighbors, our families, and our home:

We invested in our city parks so that people have places to play and be healthy.

We invested in great schools so that residents have the confidence to raise a family here.

We invested in infrastructure, connecting our neighborhoods and our residents.

We invested in new jobs so that people can comfortably live their lives in New Albany.

We invested in public safety so that residents feel secure in their homes.

And we have invested in new opportunities for homeownership, so that more people can begin their American Dream in New Albany.

But the main thing that we have invested in is the future of our River City. This past Tuesday, the people of New Albany showed their confidence in our path towards the future, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to continue serving as your Mayor.

I can also assure you that this is no time to slow down. We will continue pushing forward to the future, and we will continue investing in the future of New Albany. We will continue putting New Albany FIRST in all things. With me as your mayor, the people of New Albany will always come first.

I am so thankful and honored to have your continued support. But mostly, I am so excited about the future of New Albany. Together, with your help, we will keep moving New Albany forward.

Thank you,

 Mayor Jeff Gahan

HELPING THE HOMELESS - Mayor Gahan Offers $100,000 in Assistance to Homeless Coalition

HELPING THE HOMELESS – Mayor Gahan offers $100,000 to Support Homeless Coalition

Mayor Gahan and other city officials attended the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana’s “A Meaningful Morning Breakfast” fundraiser at the Calumet Club in New Albany on Thursday morning to offer their support of their ongoing services.

In recent years, the City of New Albany has assisted the Homeless Coalition with their operations with $50,000 from the American Rescue Plan. 

At yesterday’s meeting, Mayor Jeff Gahan doubled down on the city’s support of the Homeless Coalition, and presented a check for $100,000 from Community Development Block Grant (Cares Act) funds.

“We are proud to support the efforts of the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana, and we hope that this money can help them with eviction prevention, emergency housing assistance, and operations for their temporary emergency shelters,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “I also want to thank the City Council for their ongoing efforts to help some of our most vulnerable populations.”

In an email to Mayor Gahan, Executive Director of the Homeless Coalition Leslea Townsend Cronin offered the following thanks for Mayor Gahan and the City of New Albany’s support:

“Mayor Gahan - Thank you for your generosity and advocacy of our agency and what we are trying to accomplish in Southern Indiana,” stated Leslea Townsend Cronin. “Thank you for your support and your attendance at our event yesterday, and look forward to such a positive partnership going into the future.”

Paving Season List 2023

Paving Season is upon us! The City of New Albany will be working on improving roadways and laying new pavement on neighborhood roads and major streets. The following is a list of streets that are fully funded and will be fully or partially paved as part of this year’s paving program. Additional roads and alleys may be added as the season continues.

“Please be aware of crews working on improving our roadways as you travel in New Albany,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Paving should only take a couple of days in each area, and I’m sure that you will love the improvements.”

Beechwood Avenue
Vincennes Street
Charlestown Road
E Market Street
Spring Street
Main Street
Slate Run Road
Grant Line Road
Adams Street
Brook Ridge Court
Griffin Street
W. 1st Street
Linden Avenue
Oakwood Court
W. 6th Street
Dryades Street
Virginia Court
Ridgeway Avenue
Monon Avenue
E Green Street
Old Vincennes Road
Church Street
W. 10th Street
Walnut Street
Summit Street
Prospect Street
Lower 6th Street
E. 11th Street
Pearl Street

ENCOURAGING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION

ENCOURAGING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION

The City of New Albany is partnering with local professional architect firm TowerPinkster to create a package of pre-approved house concepts to encourage single family home ownership and new home construction. By offering these pre-approved plans at no cost, the City can save homebuyers and developers thousands of dollars on the cost of a new single-family home.

"We know that single family homes and building long-term residency are key components of a strong city," stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. "Over the last several years, many apartments and rentals have been developed in New Albany, but it is time to focus on long-term home ownership. This is another great step in our efforts to improve home ownership for the people of New Albany."

Many times, families looking to build a single family home do not want the worry or hassle of having to jump through multiple planning and zoning meetings, building commissioner permitting, or other bureaucratic steps. These pre-approved housing plans will be available at no cost to skip those hurdles and jump-start single family housing developments. This pro-active measure will also help address the housing demand while preserving the character and charm that makes our city unique.

Additionally, the City of New Albany recently entered into a partnership with the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Louisville to improve housing accessibility and make long-term housing plans and recommendations for the future of our River City. The result of that study is expected back in mid-September.