Jim Campanini is a hard ass! I am sure that fact doesn’t shock anyone who knows him or read his column recently in the Lowell Sun regarding the Lowell historic commission. He took the commission to task, and more specifically, Steve Stowell, for their historic reputation for preserving history, by being both inconsistent and unreasonable in finding creative compromise that would assist downtown retailers a better chance to avoid failure.
Preserving such a beautiful downtown is no easy task, and downtown Historic Lowell IS indeed beautiful, but truth is, it would be much more so without the blight, darkened doorways and history of failed businesses.
The thing I find most ironic is, those who actually created the aesthetic that we protect to a fault, did so by dramatically altering the previous landscape while chopping down the trees and polluting the water! (imagine if there had been Greenpeace in the 1800’s!) More to the point, they did so as capitalist captains of industry. They pursued business and initiatives with creativity and vision which allowed them to feed their families and ultimately thrive financially.
Those initiatives led to a thriving economy while laying the groundwork for the future of this once powerful economically vibrant city. Likewise, they did so using all kinds of signage to draw attention or establish presence, including signs on roof tops-many strategies and tactics that are restricted today in the name of “preservation” as interpreted by folks more than a century later. (To Jim’s point about subjective legislation) I worry about Lowell, and its ever increasing representation of government, non profits and tax exempt factions. Plans to increase the high school presence downtown seems another initiative in contradiction to growing the economic health of the city.
The Historic commission has a difficult responsibility and has fought doggedly to protect Lowell’s historic integrity, with success. But, with more creative cooperation (rather than waiting for appeals!) leading to more business, more businesses, more lights, more occupation, more destination options, visitors and more people in the street, more positive press, more jobs and more tax dollars; ALL would help reduce poverty, unemployment, despair, crime and murder–those things that continue to dog a city that has seemingly not thrived much SINCE the street lamps actually burned oil! We could use other similar models to expedite growth.
Jim was correct…there needs to be more latitude. Maybe more historic board representation by younger, more dynamic visionaries–risk takers and the business minded who actually understand the stress of making payroll–those who could embrace BOTH historic integrity and future vitality. Because, honestly, if it is true that a temporary, innocuous sidewalk sign was not allowed to help a young, artisanal/independent baker succeed for the risk she took on Lowell, we have a serious problem. Really guys? Sidewalk signs?
Despite common perception, not ALL the historic-type folk are squares. Separate, but related, the National Park has done an amazing job turning Boardinghouse Park into a dynamic, first rate musical venue. (Beer sales would be a huge upgrade if you are reading this you-know-who-you are!)
Wouldn’t it be great if that same positive energy could be directed towards granting downtown retailers some additional freedom of expression and business inducing initiatives, perhaps stopping short of knocking down impactful, majestic, smoke stacks? Where’s the spirit of that private-public partnership we like to tout so proudly at meetings and during city marketing opportunities?
Just sayin’
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