The Knode parcels

I started this weblog with the intent of writing specifically about Princess Street. The closing of Southern States was the springboard. Like any effort at the scale of planning towns and cities, waiting for change and reacting often means being too late, although I hold out some hope in this case because of the slow economy. Five years ago, a change at that property might have happened in a real-estate-scaled blink of an eye.

But the entire parcel in question there (about 7.5 acres)  is different and difficult. It is part flood plain, wet when not in drought, abuts the railroad, was a filling station &c. Many discussions of the site degrade into opinions that the land is a toxic brownfield. It might be, although I personally have little issue with the idea for, if it is a brownfield, then so is my property.

In one of my casual chats with Harvey Heyser, we discussed possible uses for the Knode property, some mentioned to him by townspeople, some shared thoughts, some my own. One problem which will arise soon to any would be development, is that the parcel(s)* are part within Shepherdstown Corporation limits and part within Jefferson County.

Among the offerings for use by others:

1. Parking lot
2. Library
3. Distributor/night club**

Many more opinions will undoubtedly arise as the calendar marches forward — a calendar marching more slowly as it reads 2011, not 2006.

For my part, the most important thing about this land is that we preserve the existing spirit of use on the site while enhancing Princess Street as a secondary commercial corridor. One might also consider the parcel as a “gateway” into town, which might carry some weight of its own.

The library is an interesting idea here, but not necessarily at the expense of the local-scale commercial (not catering to tourists) and small industry uses already present. Even there though, another domino is falling: on an adjacent parcel, Shepherdstown Hardware will be closing at the end of January. Dan Tokar would like to maintain his blacksmith shop at this address but even he notes that his age means he will be changing the scale of his commissions, reminding us that he will not be present beyond another 40 years. A 40 year timeline might seem too lengthy but, then again, how long was Southern States there?

Parking, as it stands, is already and important existing use — check beside the tracks on a Thursday night. Any land use, regardless of ownership, would be a poor neighbor if it did not allow for this off-hour presence.

Opening things up a little then…these are not necessarily single uses but might be part of a mixed-use strategy:

1. Craft studios
2. A garden center (perhaps associated with community gardens or a cut flower/produce grower).
3. A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker.

I’ve often imaged the state stepping in here as well, taking land to make changes to the intersection at Washington and Princess.

Something will change here. The town would do well to be ahead of the change, not reacting to proposals for it. How to do that is a good question which I might have an answer in coming weeks. Or not.

*I’ve seen the tax map; it’s complicated.

**I’ve lumped these together. Although not specifically an either-or, I do know an and-or was mentioned. This use is only viable if it takes place within the Shepherdstown Corporation limits.

South of the border

I had not known that the limits of the Corporation of Shepherdstown do not match the limits of the Historic District. This is not uncommon.

Consider that it is good practice: some structures and streets which contribute to the “town” as a place worthy of the historic designation might not be within the Corporation. Conversely, some structures and streets within the Corporation might contribute little to the spirit of the historic district. Right?

What if we have it wrong

It is unfortunate, although common to such historic district designations, that entire classes of buildings or “zones” of the urban setting are routinely ignored — witness the south end of Princess Street.*

There, two houses of little distinction sit within part of what is/was an urban landscape very different form the bulk of Shepherdstown, a vestige of its industrial character. These houses (one of which was recently sided with vinyl) are within a gerrymandered portion of the preservation district boundary, which excludes the adjacent, and far more interesting, sheds and smaller out-buildings nearby. These industrial/commercial buildings offer far greater gravitas, historically speaking, than those two houses ever could. It is not that they have greater architectural value than those two houses — many would agree to less — but instead they hold an urban value which exceeds that of the houses. Indeed, the two houses are fairly misplaced.

Some years ago, the feed mill was torn down. Recently, another small wood frame structure was lost. (I am told it “fell down”.) Would these structures have met the same fate had they been in a protected district?

It would be a rare industrial park that one might consider worthy of protection from character-changing development, the goal of many historic district designations. The area outside of South Princess Street and the Corporate boundary might even suffer adversely should it find itself within the historic district. But that landscape, as a counterpoint to the river end of Princess Street and an unspoiled, small scale example of an industrial past, must have its character preserved. This is not an argument against change or growth but instead an appeal for what might occur there, that it maintain the spirit of the place. This is what a historic designation, in an area with individuals buildings of little import, must first and foremost do.

*I don’t have the map at hand while I edit this, but I wonder if the north end of Princess Street suffers in the same manner.