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Subject: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS 7/7| TuscaloosaNews.com
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20130707/NEWS/130709865/1307/opinion?Title=OPPOSING-VIEWPOINTS-7-7-Historic-preservation-ultimately-leads-to-economic-developmentHistoric preservation ultimately leads to economic developmentBy Anne GibbonsPublished: Sunday, July 7, 2013Let’s start with a look at the prickly, highly volatile and complex issue of property rights. The belief in individual property rights is a keystone of the United States’ political history. The ability to do with your land what you want, when you want to do it is an integral part of our cultural identity.
However, as with many aspects of the collective U.S. psyche, the rules and regulations governing property rights of the individual are a patchwork quilt of compromise, consensus and concession. The deeply held regard for the rights of the individual is tempered by an equally fervent respect for and protection of the common good. Restrictions and regulations affecting private property have been enacted by local, state and federal governments — and accepted by property owners — since our nation’s founding.
In Tuscaloosa, the city routinely imposes its will on citizens, collectively and individually, through various government mechanisms. The local government establishes and levies taxes; closes, reroutes and creates streets; installs and removes speed tables; enacts and revokes landscaping and building codes; rezones private space and shuts down businesses that violate codes. It also exercises its right to acquire property through eminent domain.
All these actions have the potential to affect “the rights of the landowner.” When deciding how to proceed, officials are expected to weigh individual rights against the shared rights and benefits of the citizenry as a whole.
Furthermore, what is the proper course of action when the rights of landowner A conflict with those of landowner B? When, for example, the demolition of owner A’s building will adversely affect the value of owner B’s adjacent property. In those situations, the rights of the landowner become problematic and the resolution is almost certain to displease owner A or owner B — or both.
To suggest that individual property rights are sacrosanct, inviolate and unchanging is simply untrue. At times, the rights of a landowner can be, have been and will continue to be curtailed to protect another owner’s rights or in defense of the common weal. Limiting the rights of the individual to promote the good of the community is not a new idea in the U.S.
As for how to balance historic preservation and economic development, the answer is simple: historic preservation fosters economic development.
According to the 2010 Tuscaloosa Greater Downtown Plan, “Historic preservation is increasingly being recognized as an essential component of a city‘s economic development strategy ... The rehabilitation of existing buildings stimulates a greater economic return per dollar spent than do highway construction, new construction and the expansion of industry. Historic preservation has additional economic benefits in terms of tourism, the enhancement of property values and the promotion of community sustainability. The importance of historic preservation to community revitalization has been demonstrated in thousands of towns all across America.”
The 48 members of the Greater Downtown Plan task force spent hundreds of hours reading, pondering and compiling information about ways to revitalize Tuscaloosa’s downtown. The economic value of historic preservation is supported by extensive research and real-life examples such as Franklin, Tenn. According to franklintn.com, “The preservation of (Franklin’s) historic character has proven to be of great economic benefit ... Its Main Street has been named one of the Top 5 ‘Most Romantic’ in the United States ... Franklin has also been recognized as one of the ‘1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada before You Die.’ The reason given is that Franklin is a well-preserved Southern town.”
People brandish the term “rights of the landowner” like a flaming torch in an attempt to hold preservationists at bay. In truth, destroying historic structures is a greater threat to property owners than preserving those structures. Tuscaloosa has already lost irreplaceable elements of its historic downtown in the name of urban renewal. The economic damage inflicted by those actions on individual property owners and on the town at large is incalculable.
Historic preservation boosts the economy, raises property values, increases tourism and generates public and private income. If we want to protect individual property rights and promote economic development, we will embrace historic preservation. Beginning now.
Anne R. Gibbons is a resident of the Hillcrest neighborhood and a member of Preserve Tuscaloosa.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Old does not necessarily mean historically significant
By Jim PagePublished: Sunday, July 7, 2013Tuscaloosa is a city of great charm, personality and rich history. It is also a city of great opportunity because of the immense resources it possesses.
A strong industrial base, an extremely stable housing market and, of course, a rapidly growing higher education presence has allowed our area to withstand a global economic recession much better than many of our peer communities. Adding to that is our thriving tourism industry, which includes tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans from every corner of the country making multiple visits to Tuscaloosa each fall to support their beloved Crimson Tide. Additionally, an ever-expanding arts and entertainment culture continues to enhance the exceptional quality of life that our city is known for.
Simply put, Tuscaloosa is a progressive city experiencing a growth spurt that is unprecedented in its storied history. With such growth, however, comes the customary growing pains that any city on the move will experience. Our road and sewer infrastructure, for example, will most certainly be strained by ever-increasing use. Another growing pain, depending on your perspective, is increased attention from those in the commercial and residential development communities.
Tuscaloosa has been long underserved from a retail perspective and, as a result, we lose millions of dollars every year from residents choosing to shop in Birmingham and elsewhere. The solution to that problem is to aggressively recruit stores, restaurants and other entities that are not currently in this market. Fortunately for us and primarily because of the aforementioned community growth, Tuscaloosa is now on the radar for many commercial entities not currently in our market.
As a result, multiple economic development projects have been presented to city officials over the past few weeks, several of which are located in the downtown/riverfront area of Tuscaloosa. Some of these projects have been met with vocal opposition from those who do not own the respective properties, yet warn of the irreparable harm the projects will have on historic preservation. There appears to be a misconception among some that economic development, individual property rights and historic preservation are mutually exclusive.
Unfortunately, I believe the ideals most often become isolated during emotionally charged rhetoric before the city’s regulatory bodies. Many of us in the economic development community hold the philosophy that there should most certainly be a balance between responsible economic growth and preservation of the rich history of our city. Allowing any type of development for the sake of development is not wise. At the same time, just because something is old does not make it historic.
Historic preservation is only possible when the subject property or structure has true historic significance and its owner, by virtue of his/her ownership rights, wants it to have such designated protection. In the recent downtown developments, though, I argue that neither of these covenants has been present. Therefore, we will soon see continued private investment within the heart of our city that will bear economic and social fruit for years to come.
I unapologetically embrace a pro-growth perspective. Through that lens, I fully support well-designed commercial and residential development that will have a positive overall impact on the area in which it is located. This especially rings true in an underutilized or blighted area in which such development can become an asset to surrounding property owners.
However, in the event that a proposed development truly endangers a designated historic asset or would be a detriment to the quality of life of the area in which it is located, then we should all be compelled to speak out in protest. It is important to remember that this city has a proven track record of protecting and preserving historic structures, such as the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion,
Battle-Friedman Home and Murphy-Collins House, each of which receive substantial annual municipal support.
The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama has a 113-year legacy of being involved in numerous projects and initiatives intended to make this a better community in which to live, learn, work and play. At the core of our mission is job creation, economic growth and continued enhancement of the incredible quality of life we all enjoy. In order to fulfill our mission, we must advocate for smart development that creates jobs for our fellow citizens while helping to make the economic pie bigger for all facets of the community.
We must also advocate for a high-quality education system, safe neighborhoods, vibrant cultural arts and faith-based communities and first-class recreational facilities, just to name a few. We must support all of these concepts in order to advance as a city while preserving our community’s rich history for generations to come. We, as a community, are doing just that and, for me, there couldn’t be a better time to be in Tuscaloosa — growing pains and all.
Jim M. Page, is President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.