What's to become..... When the new visitors center is built at Gettysburg

[BarryDusel]

Today many of us have probably received an appeal from The CWPT to aid in purchasing a small tract of land on Baltimore Pike , Gettysburg, PA. This tract is directly across from the proposed new visitor center and Cyclorama.
This set me to wondering. How important it is for the different preservation organizations to began to raise funds for the various tracts not already protected in that area? I think it's vitally important that we began to build a "War Chest" to prevent the travesty that we now see if we look across from the current main entrance. I myself don't want to see McD's, Hardees, etc spring up over on Baltimore Pike.
Further along this line of thinking. Once the new Visit Center is built . IMO ,The ultimate demise of those older business' currently on Emmittsburg Pike is pretty much guranteed. Therefore, again isn't it time to began to build funds to buy up those properties as they are vacated . Currently, I think that the old Big Boy is still vacant and is up for sale. Maybe since mid May they've found a buyer . Purchasing that building would be the 1st step in the right direction . Anyway, beside restoring Cemetary Ridge and the Zieglers Grove I think we are about to come upon an opportunity that may never again present itself . That being to further reverse some of the mistakes of the 1st quarter of the last half of the 20th century. I can remember, going to Gettysburg the 1st time as a 4 year old and being thrilled to death. I can also vaguely remember very little on the west side of Emittsburg Pk south of the Taneytown Rd. Maybe I'm just a dreamer here.
Yet I can't help but wish to see this little dream of mine come to fruitation . I think that it would be a great gift to give to future generations.
Any thoughts?

[Dignann]

Re: What's to become..... When the new visitors center is built at Gettysburg

Barry,

It would be nice to see many of those franchise businesses disappear from the first few blocks of Steinwehr Avenue. However, I don't think that the moving of the VC over to the Baltimore Pike will have much of an impact on them. There are still a string of motels along that stretch of the road that are served by these restaurants. Also, folks will still visit Cemetery Ridge and travel along the Emmitsburg Road to enter town, so I don't really think there will be significantly reduced traffic in that area.

You'll be pleased to know that the Shoney's (Big Boy) Restaurant is gone. The owner tore it down recently and have landscaped the area into a little park. The Hardee's closed and was vacant for a few months, but has reopened as a Chinese restaurant. My experience has been that Chinese buffets can survive in any area regardless of downward economic trends.

Large-scale acquisition is faced with some very big hurdles. The properties are very expensive, the occupying businesses seem to be doing well and are unlikely to sell, and the borough government would probably not support such an idea. Gettysburg has almost no other industry besides tourism and the town depends on the tax dollars generated by these businesses.

Many years ago, the town and park worked together on a "beautification" plan for Steinwehr Avenue. Some of the concrete sidewalks have been replaced with brick, some trees were planted and other landscaping done to soften the visual impact of the commercialism. It hasn't been as successful as had been planned, but some aspects have been implemented.

There have been some successes along Steinwehr. The removal of the Home Sweet Home Motel, Shoney's, and the private house that at one time stood in the northeast corner of the Steinwehr Avenue-Taneytown Road intersection (opposite Family Heirloom Weavers/CJ Daley), and the razing of the National Tower. Some small reclamation has occurred. Perhaps more opportunities will present themselves, but for now I think the focus ought to be on preventing this commercialism from spreading out the Baltimore Pike, but only if the property is of hstorical significance.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

Eric