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July 17, 2008
Thank you Wal-Mart,
Over the past several months, the Palmetto Trust has been receiving a lot of great media coverage. Our latest preservation efforts have been highlighted on “Your Day” with Bob Becker, “ETV Forum” with Beryl Dakers and a “yet to be broadcasted” segment on NPR’s “Walter Edgar’s Journal”. All of this new media attention has been a direct result of the hard work we've been doing with our corporate and preservation partners on the Lindler House in Irmo.
For some people, it came as a surprise to learn that a large cooperation like Wal-Mart was generously giving us a $50,000 donation to help us save a property that their development was about to destroy. It came as no surprise to me. Why? Because we at the Trust believe that preservation is good for any community; whether that means a rise in property values or simply a rise in everyday quality of life. Where preservation happens, life is better. It is up to us as preservationists to learn how to communicate our message to the financial stakeholders of all types of developments. Of course, we rarely get to enjoy a “perfect outcome”, but we can make a difference if we aim for a reasonable solution instead of making grand gestures of confrontation. I’ll admit, it does sound very romantic to stand in front of a bulldozer, but if a situation has been reduced to that form of confrontation, then everyone loses.
We at the Palmetto Trust believe we should not approach a big box development as the enemy in their impact on preservation. The big box would never build in a certain location if the original land owners were not willing to sell their property for a profit. Developers choose a store’s location based on its potential for profit and the surrounding areas demand for the services that they provide. It is difficult for me to fathom a reason to blame one company for something that was created by the needs of all the people who are willing to participate.
Where do we start? We start by creating an opportunity where people can have a voice in their community about what the built environment should be and how to protect it. This starts with one small meeting and could take years to accomplish, however, the investment in that type of community development will pay off handsomely when the large urbanized growth inevitably starts knocking. Yours in Preservation, Michael Bedenbaugh
Michael Bedenbaugh can be reached by phone at 803-896-6234 or e-mail at oldhouse@palmettotrust.org. |
