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.