Always one for foreign travel I decided to take a side trip to Rome NY. Leaving the interstate in Utica I stopped at a big box strip mall to get a 3gang outlet so I could power this computer and the wireless hotspot at the same time. Then I took the route toward Rome. It was a depressing scene with practically all the former commercial businesses, out of business – vacant and dilapidated. For-Lease signs everywhere emphasized the pathetic mood. The lumber yard was out of business; car franchise show rooms were closed due to the 2008 US auto meltdown and consolidation. There was commercial carnage for mile after mile. Most all of these buildings will get torn down eventually.
New big box developments have a massive negative impact on our historic commercial infrastructure. This (hidden) cost needs to be identified and explicitly shown on our national as well as community balance sheets. Maybe there would be a way to transition to the efficiencies of big box without totally devastating and wasting the traditional commercial establishments.
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Bank-of-America-bed-time-.jpg [2] | 78.91 KB |
Rome-Cable-factory-Rome-NY-.jpg [3] | 44.14 KB |
Rome-Cable-environmental-po.jpg [4] | 64.07 KB |
Links:
[1] http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/fiddling-while-rome-burns.html
[2] http://smtp.realneo.us/system/files/Bank-of-America-bed-time-.jpg
[3] http://smtp.realneo.us/system/files/Rome-Cable-factory-Rome-NY-.jpg
[4] http://smtp.realneo.us/system/files/Rome-Cable-environmental-po.jpg