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Washington, D.C. (May 24, 2004) -- With historic villages and
downtowns, working farms, winding back roads, forest-wrapped lakes,
spectacular mountain vistas and a strong sense of community, Vermont has a
special magic that led National Geographic Traveler magazine to name the
state on of "the World's Greatest Destinations." Yet in
recent years, this small slice of America has come under tremendous
pressure from the onslaught of big-box retail development. The
seriousness of this threat led the National Trust to name the state to its
list of America's 11 Most Endangered Places in 1993. Back then,
Vermont was the only state without a Wal-Mart. Today it has four --
and now faces an invasion of behemoth stores that could destroy much of
what makes Vermont Vermont.
To highlight the threat to this vital piece of America's heritage, the National
Trust for Historic Preservation today named the state of Vermont to
its 2004 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
During the 1990s Wal-Mart located three of its four Vermont stores in
existing buildings and kept them relatively modest in size. Now,
however, the world's largest company is planning to saturate the state --
which has only 600,000 residents -- with seven new mammoth mega-stores,
each with a minimum of 150,000 square feet. Wal-Mart's plans are
sure to attract an influx of other big-box retailers. The likely
result: degradation of the Green Mountain State's unique sense of place,
economic disinvestment in historic downtowns, loss of locally-owned
businesses, and an erosion of the sense of community that seems an
inevitable by-product of big-box sprawl. With deep regret, the
national trust takes the rare step of re-listing Vermont as one of
America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
"If they are built as proposed, these seven huge new stores will
change the character of their communities and the state of Vermont,"
said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust. "We're not
saying that communities shouldn't allow big-box stores -- but if they
choose to do so, they should be aware of the consequences, including the
possible impact on jobs, traffic, the environment and locally-owned
businesses. New stores complement existing businesses, not devour
them -- but there are communities all over America whose downtowns have
been devastated by the arrival of big-box retailers. Vermonters
shouldn't let that happen in their state."
History: Big-box development typically occurs on the
outskirts of town, consuming farmland and open space, fueling sprawl and
other problems associated with insensitive expansion. COmmunities
often welcome these large stores in the hope that they will bring economic
benefit. Too often, however, the stores bring hidden costs and cause
significant economic and social harm.
Threat: The distinctive characteristics that define
Vermont -- historic towns, villages and rural landscapes -- could be lost
if sprawl-like development is allowed to occur in a haphazard,
out-of-scale, land-consuming manner. The one-size-fits-all big-box
"template" has proven to be detrimental to communities across
the united States because of its negative economic and environmental
impact on historic downtowns and local businesses. The size and
design of these stores often overwhelm their surroundings, and impersonal
corporate identity too often trumps community character.
Solution: The arrival of big-box sprawl often fostered by
retailers such as Wal-Mart has been resisted by increasing numbers of
communities that are determined to prevent or minimize the loss of their
open space and the erosion of the economic vitality of their traditional
business districts. People want and should have easy access to basic
goods at low prices -- but they also have the right to determine how their
communities should grow and what they want to preserve and protect.
At the very least, communities should accept big-box development with
their eyes open and understand its long-term costs. Some big-box
stores have adapted to local standards and worked to fit in gracefully
with existing commercial districts. Some have even located in
recycled vacant properties in existing downtowns. Vermonters should
learn from what has happened elsewhere and persuade Wal-Mart and other
large retailers to adapt the way they do business so as to enhance
existing communities. Wal-Mart should change to accommodate Vermont,
not the other way around.
America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has
identified more than 160 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since
1988. While listing does not ensure protection of a site or
guarantee funding, the designation has been a powerful tool for raising
awareness and rallying resources to save endangered sites from every
region of the country. Whether these sites are urban districts or
rural landscapes, Native American landmarks or 20th-century sports arenas,
entire communities or single buildings, the list spotlights historic
places across America that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds,
inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit
membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable.
Recipient of the National Humanities medal, the Trust provides leadership,
education and advocacy to save American's diverse historic places and
revitalize communities. Its Washington, DC headquarters staff, six
regional offices and 25 historic sites work with the Trust's 200,000
members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states.
For more information visit: www.nationaltrust.org.
National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20036. NTHP Communications: 202-588-614
RELATED
COMMENTARIES
Endangered
Vermont: Compromise Will Produce a Great Solution
by Paul Bruhn, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust
of Vermont
Endangered
Vermont?
By Tom Slayton, Editor of Vermont Life Magazine
A
Wake-Up Call on Wal-Mart
by Chester H. Liebs, landscape historian, professor
emeritus of history at UVM and founding director of the
University's Historic Preservation Program.
Endangered
Places
by Jay Parini, poet, novelist and biographer who teaches
at Middlebury College.
A
Plan for Sensible Development
by Sabina Haskell, Editor,
Bennington Banner
Protecting
Vermont’s Integrity
by David A. Donath, Woodstock
Foundation
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