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Building to the Earth’s end
Published: Friday, September 28, 2007 - 8:08pm
Recently, on my way home, I’ve been noticing many construction sites for new businesses. These businesses are being built on land that was previously unoccupied. Along the same street that I see all of these construction sites are also many empty buildings that once housed stores that are now out of business. These empty businesses just sit there, unoccupied, while new businesses are built right down the road. It seems illogical to me that these new businesses would build on new land, when there are already facilities nearby that they can use.
I understand that these new stores don’t want to associate themselves with those that went out of business, possibly due to the fear that they too will not succeed. Even so, I feel it would be best to make use of the space already present and remodel or reconstruct the old buildings. Companies may not want to go through all of that hassle and spend the extra money to demolish the previous structures. That is reasonable. However, there will come a time when there will not be any open land to build on. Why can’t businesses recycle their buildings?
Relocation is a similar practice that I am skeptical about. Some stores will close down just to open again a short distance away from their original store. While these stores look toward making more of a profit with a better location, I wonder if a better location will really make up for completely building a new shop. It seems wasteful to me to abandon a perfectly fine space to occupy another next door simply in hopes of making a greater income.
Areas all throughout Champaign-Urbana that once were peaceful and inactive are now quickly transforming into commercial areas. Not only does this lessen the tranquility of living in these areas, but it clutters our town with unneeded shops. Huge chains build multiple stores in many, many locations all throughout one town. Competing companies build right next to each other. It appears to me that our society has become so blinded by the prospect of wealth that we overlook the damage we are inflicting upon our surroundings and our limited land.
In today’s world what do we value more: money or the world itself?
Comments
The Value of Land
To add to Maritza's concern: the farmland around Champaign is among the richest, most fertile soil in the whole world. Every time a new subdivision goes up on that fertile soil, removing ever more land that could be used for agriculture, I wonder what we're doing. What does it say about society when a farming family can make more money by the one-time (irreversible?) change of land usage from agriculture, a long-term endeavor, to more housing for the upwardly mobile, or, in the case of N. Prospect, for another huge box store that doesn't want to keep paying the lease on a not-as-big-but-still-HUGE building closer to town center?
I agree.
"Huge chains build multiple stores in many, many locations all throughout one town."
*cough* Wal-Mart *cough, cough*
I agree. Our society is so focused on making a profit that ethical values are left behind.
Aerial Photography
Looking at old aerial photography of Champaign Country from the 80's and 90's, it's amazing how much the city has expanded onto what was once farmland.
soil and subdivisions
Coming from a farm family, a little bit of my soul dies every time a new subdivision is created. As I understand it, the first move is to scrape off all the topsoil leaving "yards" that have to be supplimented in order to get anything to grow. What happens to all that soil?
We live 25 minutes from the south-western edge of Champaign. I fear that within the next ten years, that time will be reduced to ten minutes and I wil have a Wal-mart within walking distance.
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