Last week, the Town of Blacksburg hosted two meetings
focusing on historic preservation. Notable was that at Friday's workshop two
candidates for Christiansburg Town Council were present --
Steve Huppert and Henry Showalter.
The preservation of historic structures and districts in Christiansburg became a recent topic when town council approved a conditional use permit for more rental property construction in the
Historic Cambria District. Even though the few historic districts within the town have been designated for decades, the town's Comprehensive Plans fails to identify them -- as do its zoning and comp plan maps.
Friday's workshop focused on what it means to be in a Historic District -- there are three levels, including National Register of Historic Places, Virginia Landmarks Register, and Local Historic Districts. Each level encourages preservation with local historic districts maintaining the character of the community while protecting private and public investment.
Federal and state tax credits for rehabilitation may be options and act as incentives for preservation, and
local tax abatements can further stimulate this type of activity.
The value of such a systemic approach to
preservation and rehabilitation goes beyond sustaining a sense of community and its unique character for future generations. It also serves as an economic and tourism development engine, creating jobs and increasing property values (and therefore the local tax base).
Speakers included panelists representing
APVA Preservation Virginia, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (
VDHR), and
Blacksburg Planning Department and Historic Design Review Board. More about this program can be found in an article in VT's
Collegiate Times.By the end of the meeting, it became apparent Christiansburg could make use of an abundance of expertise, grant funding, and other resources which could preserve the integrity of our neighbohoods and
rich history. Has this not yet been done due to citizen apathy or a lack of
leadership?
Inertia, entropy or incompetence? Have current or past town leaders just wanted to bulldoze and discard our history while haphazardly building anything anew? A gross lack of visionary or effective planning and control seems prevalent.
So while Christiansburg talks and balks, most of our neighbors have acted while also engaging their own citizens
and the wider community. As one example, Blacksburg now owns four of the town's original sixteen blocks, providing basic services such as an excellent parks and recreation program and public utility services. But they've gone way beyond, offering residents resources such as
Housing & Neighborhood Services, its own
Housing Rehabilitation Programs,
Tourism and Economic Development departments, and a Comprehensive Plan that includes its Historic Districts and uses cited and accurate data.
One panelist, responding to a question for how to begin a program for
historic preservation and revitalization, stated
initiatives and outcomes "were only as good as the people on these boards and councils."
To begin such a program, the speaker suggested citizens attend regular public and committee meetings --
in Christiansburg, that's been tough because public meetings have not been communicated and therefore exclusive to a small circle of people, as noted in recent FOIA issues. The speaker also suggested using the town's
Comprehensive Plan,
but Christiansburg's is loaded with erroneous data and revisions have been made exclusive of citizen awareness or input. Ours doesn't even denote the existing Historic Districts, even though this is required data. The speaker suggested tapping into state resources, including the VDHR Virginia
Main Street program. That resource and what it can produce can be seen by visiting Radford,
yet when a regional workshop was hosted locally, Christiansburg leaders disdained attending or investigating this resource.
When you look at Radford and Blacksburg's population, sources of revenues and budgets, you see
Christiansburg is different only in how it has chosen to allocate its resources. Our historic structures are a resource, as well as a record of our heritage, and should not be neglected.
Our history, and our future, is too precious not to protect. This preservation is valuable in itself, yet can also create jobs, affordable housing, and serve as a stimulus for increased tourism and economic growth. Citizens should insist that its leaders begin such initiatives in Christiansburg immediately. It cannot be done by private land owners alone, and requires government leadership to be effected.
Remember to
vote on Tuesday, May 6th at the Christiansburg Armory. Polls open at 6 am and close at 7 pm.