God Bless America!

The burial grounds for US Veterans are considered sacred and solemn with the highest level of respect bestowed on not just these grave sites but also their settings and surrounding spaces. This is how we were taught and this is how we were raised as Americans. This is one thing that even Republicans and Democrats (and yes Tea Partiers) all agree on. Most would even agree that a similar level of respect should be bestowed upon distinguished public institutions, libraries, archives, and, yes, places such as National Historic Sites & Landmark Districts. But what about a place that includes all of the above? And the veteran buried at the site happened to be a US President. And the site has an official military color guard and ceremony honoring this US President each year. And it’s not just any President, but the Honorable Harry S Truman who served as a Captain in WWI, whose leadership ended WWII while rebuilding and maintaining freedom in post-war Europe, and who desegregated the military. Such an important place would not only be desirable to have in one’s community but you would think that it would attract other reputable institutions along with public and private community investments. So how has that worked here in Independence? To answer this, I would invite you to park your car at the WWI Memorial Building and march towards the Truman Library on Pleasant Street past the abandon Palmer ISD building, past the plywood covered windows along the way, watching your step on the crumbling concrete and mud sidewalks, through McCoy Park, under the buzz of the towering high-voltage power lines, below the crumbling concrete bridge with painted-over graffiti, adjacent to the eroded bridge embankments, up the hill, past the ISD building with the tall cell phone tower (which is actually visible from the Library courtyard & grave site), and eventually to the front steps of the beautifully designed and landscaped grounds of the Truman Library and eternal resting place of one of the great American Presidents and military veterans. And this stair and entrance into the Library is mostly visible along this Pleasant Street route. To host this site is a privilege and honor for our community but it comes with responsibilities that, if we do not take seriously, the entire world notices. We can and should do a better job in respecting this place and its surroundings not just as a demonstration of community pride but, more importantly, as an expression of our love of Country. This is how I was taught and this is how I was raised as an American.

Spreading Fertilizer in Independence

To quote noted prize-winning historian, author, and former Librarian of Congress, Daniel Boorstin, “Planning for the future without a sense of the past is similar to planting cut flowers.” For a historic community such as Independence, historic preservation can be a tool to help Independence celebrate and build upon its important past. It’s about giving institutions, neighborhoods, and communities a strong foundation (root system) for which to grow, sustain itself, and bear fruit. Historic preservation provides communities with redevelopment tools and resources at the state and federal levels to accomplish great things. Active preservation and revitalization programs create jobs in a bad economy, boost property values in a slumping market, and, yes, reduce crime while we struggle to fund our police force. In fact, Missouri is the most successful state in the nation in its use of federal and state income tax credits for historic preservation and neighborhood stabilization. Historic communities in Missouri have very few excuses not to get this right. As for the Truman Boyhood Home on South Crysler (subject of 11-3-09 blog), historic preservation can be a tool to not only address a problem property and restore a historic landmark, but can create an anchor for the revitalization of a struggling neighborhood. It takes a community with a shared vision, effective leadership, and appropriate professional guidance to recognize these opportunities and to get something started. So if we have all these ingredients for the cake, then why do we keep getting half-baked efforts? No, it’s not about money. Our efforts to throw public money at something in order to make it better have not always been successful (as mentioned in the previous blogs). It’s a matter of setting priorities with forward-thinking, appropriate planning, and collaboration while fostering a sense of pride. But most importantly, it’s in creating an environment to encourage private investment from young families and innovative developers (not remote landlords). No, I’m not saying it is easy, but our community has had some success in doing difficult things. We need to stop spreading fertilizer on cut flowers and take steps towards real and sustainable progress.

Fuzzy Math in Tourism

To evaluate the success of the Heritage Tourism program here in Independence, you just have to “Do the Math.” In the last ten years, our head-counts at tourist sites have dropped from approximately 400,000 to 200,000 per year while we have increased our expenditures from $500,000 to $1,000,000, and doubled the number city employees dedicated to the tourism department. And to say that we had a thriving tourism industry here ten years ago would be an understatement. And head-counts are somewhat deceiving since tourists are counted several times as they go from site to site and even counted twice at individual sites (i.e. if one watches the film at the Ticket Center while waiting for a tour at the Truman Home). And, not to mention, that some folks visiting sites are not tourist at all but are actually locals or students. From simple arithmetic, City Hall is investing $5 per site visit (compared to $1.25 ten years ago). So if we spend $5 of tax money just to get you to the front door of the Vaile Mansion and you spend $5 for the tour, then was that a good investment? The million dollars might be better spent on historic site development / expansion / preservation, fixing sidewalks along walking tour trails, restoring / expanding interpretive signs, and investing in neighborhoods surrounding tourist sites. So why were the tourism numbers several times higher in the 1980’s and 1990’s when we were spending very little on marketing? And in 1998, we paid a consultant from Arizona to develop a “Tourism Plan” so we could do a better job promoting ourselves. Did that help? The numbers say that the more we spend, the less success we have. Even though the money comes from a lodging tax from travelers, many who do not go beyond the I-70 corridor, that does not mean it is not real money. We have to demand accountability, results, and, yes, basic math skills from City Hall. Our slogan should be “It costs us a Lincoln to get you to a Truman site.”

Blight Update at 1306 N. Maple

The update is that there is no update or changes. In fact, what appears to be a secure building from the street is an allusion. All the windows on the east side are completely broken out. Both doorway openings on the back side are unsecure. In the garage, which is also apparently tagged dangerous, is loaded with piles of garbage (see above photo) with the front doors open. It has to be attracting rodents (or worse) to the neighborhood. Drug activity was already mentioned in a previous blog concerning this property. And county records indicate that this property has been owned by a church-based educational institution (guess which one). I find it hard to believe that city officials have actually inspected this property. And if they have, then it is crystal clear who has influences over City Hall. If we were to manage property in this manner, City Hall would demand and strictly enforce clean up in 30 days. This property has looked bad for a year or more. Will this end up being yet another case where criminal arson will do more to remove blight than church, government, and M/TRC combined? Wake Up, Independence! Elections are coming up. If you’re happy with the status quo and the level of respect bestowed on our heritage here in Old Town, then there are clear choices for you at the polls. Actually, this would be a great time to take out the garbage!

One Block East

PrudentPreservation makes a great point. It needs to be noted that the 300-400 block of North Pleasant Street is “One Block East” of the Truman Home and within view of the Truman Home National Historic Site. There is a hint (or stench) of hypocrisy to charge off to clean up blight in the “12 Blocks West” while contributing to blight in one block east. It also needs to be mentioned, again, that this block of Pleasant Street has been a part of the M/TRC Neighborhood Revitalization Program. Locals obviously have varying opinions about the state of neighborhood. Have you wondered what folks outside our community think? In May of 2008, the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation (state-wide not-for-profit group based in Columbia MO) listed the Truman National Historic Landmark District on its “Top 10 Most Endangered Historic Places” in the state because of conditions on Pleasant Street and because “institutional property owners in the area have been moving out.” In the 1990’s, we were high on the list of endangered landmarks for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In the 1980’s, it was the US Department of the Interior. Have situations really improved in the last three decades? The Truman Library Institute’s fund-raiser, “Wild about Harry”, is next week and it attracts support from all across the country. It would be great for the local community to demonstrate that they are also “Wild about Harry” by supporting the preservation of his neighborhood and the historic setting his home. The Truman Neighborhood is essentially a living history district with the emphasis on “living.” It is important to have living/breathing human beings and families occupying the surrounding properties. And it is important to take advantage of the resources and tools available at the federal level to accomplish this goal. So what are we waiting for?

NSP Bucks Should Stop on Pleasant Street

The problem with foreclosures and vacant properties hit the 300-400 block of North Pleasant Street, in the heart of the Harry S Truman National Historic Landmark District, long before the crisis hit the community and the nation. The photo above is 419 N. Pleasant taken almost 2 years ago and shows overgrown weeds and boarded up windows. Conditions today are worst. The property looked this way during Candidate Barack Obama’s pivotal campaign speech about “Patriotism” at the Memorial Building (only a block away) while the national press descended on our neighborhood. And we lost one empty building over three years ago from arson (subject of 11-27-09 Blog Post). Today there are actually 5 empty buildings on this block which include an empty historic church sanctuary with plywood covering stained glass windows and, yes, an empty school building (Palmer). But there is actually hope. The federal government has what they call the National Stabilization Program (NSP) where they provide money to local communities to purchase foreclosed properties for rehabilitation and resale. City Historic Preservation staff is currently proposing to use NSP funds for 419 N. Pleasant. This has actually been one of the best ideas to come from City Hall in a long time. No other property in town would give you more bang for your buck than this one. Millions of dollars are available and have been for a while. Other communities have been spending this money. What is the hold up in Independence? If this were a problem associated with the Event Center, it would be treated as an emergency and the city would go into debt to address it immediately. In this case, money is not short but leadership is. Someone needs to take the lead this spring to get the NSP funds invested in our historic neighborhoods. We cannot depend on the First Baptist Church, the School District, or the banking community for leadership on Pleasant Street. City Hall has to step up to the plate and treat issues in Old Town with the same urgency as their beloved projects in the Little Blue Valley.

Deficits on Streets lead to Potholes in Revenue

We’ve mentioned the cost of maintaining open space and parking lots, but what is the impact on city revenue when homes are removed from neighborhood streets? The City of Independence has budgeted over $52 million in revenue from property taxes, franchise fees from city-owned utilities, taxes from city-owned utilities, franchise fees & taxes from natural gas services, franchise fees & taxes & 911 fees from phone use, franchise fees & taxes from cable services, cigarette taxes, gasoline taxes, motor vehicle license fees, and general sales tax. This revenue represents an average of $1120 per household (this assumes households are supporting our local businesses). Every household represents a revenue stream. When these households disappear, so does the revenue. For example, if an entire block of say 26 homes disappear, that could represent a $350,000 loss in annual revenue from the city’s budget or the equivalent of the starting base salaries of 9 entry-level police officers. Obviously, poorly maintained and managed houses can put on strain on city resources but so do empty lots. It is important to maintain our housing stock for a sustainable city government and appropriate staffing levels of police and firefighters. It also supports local public schools, libraries, county government, etc. We need to get behind “12 Blocks West” and any other neighborhood revitalization/conservation efforts to maintain clean and safe housing for our citizens. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to put professional hockey players on our streets to maintain law & order.