Small Town Destruction – Part II
In my first column addressing the demise of small towns I pinpointed three items I believe are consistent in the recipe for disaster: highway bypasses taking traffic around town, national retailers undermining local merchants, and outdated alcohol ordinances preventing thriving dining. Objective and specific, I believe the slow withering of communities can be avoided and in no way do I question the emotional appeal of charm or the fabric of the community. Expanding further on the recipe to create sustainability several more key strategies, in addition to the original three, can be implemented.
First, tax policy can drive business toward town center through a reverse property tax or by creating community redevelopment districts. Traditionally property taxes are lower in the suburbs, by reversing the millage rate growth is encouraged toward town and away from the outskirts.
Second, mixed-use and re-use are critical to a thriving downtown. For example, a national drugstore or bookstore may come to town, but in place of a new steel and concrete structure replicated nationwide, require use of existing buildings and rehabilitation. As an avid fan of James Howard Kunstler, I must agree with his descriptions of “programming” the content inside the building versus the “container” that makes up the structure. A drugstore could operate from a 100-year old building, thus preserving the unique character of individual towns. Mixed-use and appropriate zoning would allow shopkeepers, or tenants, to live above shops in town center increasing rent and covering fixed costs for the building owner.
Third, discretionary consumerism should be incidental to the town center, not the primary focus. In a struggling economy counting on the luxury purchase of boutique goods will not save businesses. I propose keeping banking, postal, personal care, hardware, and grocery near town center instead of spreading these key needs to faceless strip malls located in yet to be developed suburbs. Consuming luxuries will follow naturally in a shopping district providing necessities.
Lastly, zoning and permit approvals should look toward the future by asking what will be left of this “container” if the business closes or moves. For example one national retailer is notorious for abandoning functional stores strongly anchoring numerous small businesses in favor of trading up to a generic “superstore” version located on cheaper land and incentivized by property tax reductions. Once left behind no other business is capable of using the commercial square footage and the nearby businesses that benefitted from the anchor fold, vandalism grows, and the entire shopping center becomes a permanent blight on the community.
Driving through the rural southeast I see success and failure from the window of my car. A thriving community is easily observed versus the shuttered, empty storefronts of a now dead town. I can’t stop and ask about the “charm” or the “fabric” of the community, but I can see the faces of those pondering what happened and why the town died compared to the success of the community next door.
Showing posts with label economic development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economic development. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Small Town Destruction
Small Town Destruction
In my job I drive through small towns throughout the southeast U.S. It saddens me to see these former, vibrant communities withering away. Most people would find easy reasons for the local downfalls, like manufacturing plants closing. There is some truth to this, and of course the long-term trends in demographics point toward moves toward the suburbs, but I would argue the root cause is the locally self destructive historic actions of the communities themselves. I believe there are three distinct errors.
First, "we need a bypass." One can follow US441, US301, or US1 in Georgia and Florida to see numerous examples. Beautiful towns are bypassed by high speed highways giving no reason to slow and take a look. The land on the bypass is commercialized by modern developers building look-a-like cheap structures found anywhere in America. The unique downtown charm of Main Street is then left to die. Ironically, my Garmin GPS has routed me through many towns, instead of the bypass, as the shorter faster route. I have enjoyed this scenic discovery and reminder of small town charm, and enjoy the scenery of the plantation homes, brick buildings, and unique architecture versus the lackluster appearance of the bypass.
Second, “we need a national retailer.” Too often a local lobby to bring a national big box store to town under the guise of job creation turns into job shift and tax incentives amounting to bribery. Sadly, locally spent dollars give way to money transfer outside the local economy. Given the option between a national retailer and a local merchant, most consumers will choose the big store. The Main Street hardware, grocery or auto repair store, where they know your name, is wiped out by the faceless corporation. Of course, the box store provides amenities like longer hours and opening Sundays, but the minimum wage employees don't know the products, customer names, or industry in which they are selling.
Third, “we can’t have alcohol sales.” Respectfully the values of the conservative South must give way to allow beer and wine sales at local restaurants. The primary revenue stream for restaurants is drinks: soda and tea for $2.00, beer and wine for as much as $5.00 a glass. Without this joyful elixir food choices are not gourmet, but relegated to diner-style, low-end choices forcing consumers to look for other options. My preference would be the locally-owned unique establishment with an atmosphere conducive for business or a romantic evening. These establishments spawn the growth of nearby merchants because there is now a reason to be downtown.
Our own town of Cleveland, Georgia is facing tough decisions, but it appears the local political establishment has opened themselves to public opinion. Next time you travel I encourage you to avoid the highway and take a trip through the nearby small towns. Avoid the bypass; choose the “business” route. Don’t eat at a national chain, but find a local restaurant. If you need something, stop at a local merchant, not a national box store. The recipe for success is not difficult, but sadly undoing the prior destruction, or motions set in place, is nearly impossible.
In my job I drive through small towns throughout the southeast U.S. It saddens me to see these former, vibrant communities withering away. Most people would find easy reasons for the local downfalls, like manufacturing plants closing. There is some truth to this, and of course the long-term trends in demographics point toward moves toward the suburbs, but I would argue the root cause is the locally self destructive historic actions of the communities themselves. I believe there are three distinct errors.
First, "we need a bypass." One can follow US441, US301, or US1 in Georgia and Florida to see numerous examples. Beautiful towns are bypassed by high speed highways giving no reason to slow and take a look. The land on the bypass is commercialized by modern developers building look-a-like cheap structures found anywhere in America. The unique downtown charm of Main Street is then left to die. Ironically, my Garmin GPS has routed me through many towns, instead of the bypass, as the shorter faster route. I have enjoyed this scenic discovery and reminder of small town charm, and enjoy the scenery of the plantation homes, brick buildings, and unique architecture versus the lackluster appearance of the bypass.
Second, “we need a national retailer.” Too often a local lobby to bring a national big box store to town under the guise of job creation turns into job shift and tax incentives amounting to bribery. Sadly, locally spent dollars give way to money transfer outside the local economy. Given the option between a national retailer and a local merchant, most consumers will choose the big store. The Main Street hardware, grocery or auto repair store, where they know your name, is wiped out by the faceless corporation. Of course, the box store provides amenities like longer hours and opening Sundays, but the minimum wage employees don't know the products, customer names, or industry in which they are selling.
Third, “we can’t have alcohol sales.” Respectfully the values of the conservative South must give way to allow beer and wine sales at local restaurants. The primary revenue stream for restaurants is drinks: soda and tea for $2.00, beer and wine for as much as $5.00 a glass. Without this joyful elixir food choices are not gourmet, but relegated to diner-style, low-end choices forcing consumers to look for other options. My preference would be the locally-owned unique establishment with an atmosphere conducive for business or a romantic evening. These establishments spawn the growth of nearby merchants because there is now a reason to be downtown.
Our own town of Cleveland, Georgia is facing tough decisions, but it appears the local political establishment has opened themselves to public opinion. Next time you travel I encourage you to avoid the highway and take a trip through the nearby small towns. Avoid the bypass; choose the “business” route. Don’t eat at a national chain, but find a local restaurant. If you need something, stop at a local merchant, not a national box store. The recipe for success is not difficult, but sadly undoing the prior destruction, or motions set in place, is nearly impossible.
Friday, July 01, 2011
How Small Towns Can Survive (Cleveland, GA)
The following column appeared in the "White County News" 6/30/2011 where I was a guest columnist.
In my job I drive through small towns throughout the southeast U.S. It saddens me to see these former, vibrant communities withering away. Most people would find easy reasons for the local downfalls, like manufacturing plants closing. There is some truth to this, and of course the long-term trends in demographics point toward moves toward the suburbs, but I would argue the root cause is the locally self destructive historic actions of the communities themselves. I believe there are three distinct errors.
First, "we need a bypass." One can follow US441, US301, or US1 in Georgia and Florida to see numerous examples. Beautiful towns are bypassed by high speed highways giving no reason to slow and take a look. The land on the bypass is commercialized by modern developers building look-a-like cheap structures found anywhere in America. The unique downtown charm of Main Street is then left to die. Ironically, my Garmin GPS has routed me through many towns, instead of the bypass, as the shorter faster route. I have enjoyed this scenic discovery and reminder of small town charm, and enjoy the scenery of the plantation homes, brick buildings, and unique architecture versus the lackluster appearance of the bypass.
Second, “we need a national retailer.” Too often a local lobby to bring a national big box store to town under the guise of job creation turns into job shift and tax incentives amounting to bribery. Sadly, locally spent dollars give way to money transfer outside the local economy. Given the option between a national retailer and a local merchant, most consumers will choose the big store. The Main Street hardware, grocery or auto repair store, where they know your name, is wiped out by the faceless corporation. Of course, the box store provides amenities like longer hours and opening Sundays, but the minimum wage employees don't know the products, customer names, or industry in which they are selling.
Third, “we can’t have alcohol sales.” Respectfully the values of the conservative South must give way to allow beer and wine sales at local restaurants. The primary revenue stream for restaurants is drinks: soda and tea for $2.00, beer and wine for as much as $5.00 a glass. Without this joyful elixir food choices are not gourmet, but relegated to diner-style, low-end choices forcing consumers to look for other options. My preference would be the locally-owned unique establishment with an atmosphere conducive for business or a romantic evening. These establishments spawn the growth of nearby merchants because there is now a reason to be downtown.
Our own town of Cleveland, Georgia is facing tough decisions, but it appears the local political establishment has opened themselves to public opinion. Next time you travel I encourage you to avoid the highway and take a trip through the nearby small towns. Avoid the bypass; choose the “business” route. Don’t eat at a national chain, but find a local restaurant. If you need something, stop at a local merchant, not a national box store. The recipe for success is not difficult, but sadly undoing the prior destruction, or motions set in place, is nearly impossible.
In my job I drive through small towns throughout the southeast U.S. It saddens me to see these former, vibrant communities withering away. Most people would find easy reasons for the local downfalls, like manufacturing plants closing. There is some truth to this, and of course the long-term trends in demographics point toward moves toward the suburbs, but I would argue the root cause is the locally self destructive historic actions of the communities themselves. I believe there are three distinct errors.
First, "we need a bypass." One can follow US441, US301, or US1 in Georgia and Florida to see numerous examples. Beautiful towns are bypassed by high speed highways giving no reason to slow and take a look. The land on the bypass is commercialized by modern developers building look-a-like cheap structures found anywhere in America. The unique downtown charm of Main Street is then left to die. Ironically, my Garmin GPS has routed me through many towns, instead of the bypass, as the shorter faster route. I have enjoyed this scenic discovery and reminder of small town charm, and enjoy the scenery of the plantation homes, brick buildings, and unique architecture versus the lackluster appearance of the bypass.
Second, “we need a national retailer.” Too often a local lobby to bring a national big box store to town under the guise of job creation turns into job shift and tax incentives amounting to bribery. Sadly, locally spent dollars give way to money transfer outside the local economy. Given the option between a national retailer and a local merchant, most consumers will choose the big store. The Main Street hardware, grocery or auto repair store, where they know your name, is wiped out by the faceless corporation. Of course, the box store provides amenities like longer hours and opening Sundays, but the minimum wage employees don't know the products, customer names, or industry in which they are selling.
Third, “we can’t have alcohol sales.” Respectfully the values of the conservative South must give way to allow beer and wine sales at local restaurants. The primary revenue stream for restaurants is drinks: soda and tea for $2.00, beer and wine for as much as $5.00 a glass. Without this joyful elixir food choices are not gourmet, but relegated to diner-style, low-end choices forcing consumers to look for other options. My preference would be the locally-owned unique establishment with an atmosphere conducive for business or a romantic evening. These establishments spawn the growth of nearby merchants because there is now a reason to be downtown.
Our own town of Cleveland, Georgia is facing tough decisions, but it appears the local political establishment has opened themselves to public opinion. Next time you travel I encourage you to avoid the highway and take a trip through the nearby small towns. Avoid the bypass; choose the “business” route. Don’t eat at a national chain, but find a local restaurant. If you need something, stop at a local merchant, not a national box store. The recipe for success is not difficult, but sadly undoing the prior destruction, or motions set in place, is nearly impossible.
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