THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 3, 1994 TAG: 9407020168
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
As if it weren't bad enough to have the towering Golden Arches as neighbors of historic Riddick's Folly and the General District Court Building, now comes word that a gas station/convenience store is slated for what is likely the most-traveled intersection in Suffolk.
Southern Oil Co., Inc. says it will level the old Safeway Building at Main Street and Constance Road, erect a gas station and perhaps find other users for some of the acreage. Among the possibilities, a car wash, bank or still another fast-food outlet.
The Safeway Building - especially in its empty state, before some organizations started putting it to use - and its neglected parking lot are hardly architectural gems, but a gas station and perhaps a car wash? What a gateway for downtown Suffolk, whose very roots are on the nearby waterfront.
The courthouse, too long neglected by the city and distinguished by paint peeling from its columns and a handmade cardboard tacked onto its front doors, is indication enough that Suffolk officialdom places little value on its history.
Despite its tall sign, at least McDonald's is well-screened, and it was designed to fit in with the Constant's Wharf development scheme. The idea for that waterfront development went into the files of wishful thinking - after the neglected, former Nansemond County Clerk's Office was demolished to make way for it. Now, the vacant area serves as a parking lot, location of occasional summer concerts and a largely unimproved fishing spot.
Suffolk already has gas stations, a car wash, fast-food restaurants and other businesses on downtown waterfront sites, locations that in many other cities would have been treasured for much more attractive uses. Now, the city gets still another gas station/convenience store and its sea of concrete or asphalt.
Call that progress, a sign of economic recovery or whatever else you wish. Or just call it business acumen to pick such a highly visible site.
It's also an indication of Suffolk's failure to ensure that its historic district remains clear of such high-traffic uses as gas stations.
The Safeway Building and its immense parking lot are not in the historic district, as the area across the street is. The site is already zoned for commercial use, so no public hearing will be necessary before construction starts. Nor will the Architectural Review Board have to act on design plans.
Imagine an oil-company or fast-food-chain sign reflecting in the widows of Riddick's Folly, whose attic walls include the initials of Civil War soldiers. Or, for that matter, the parking-lot lights of a grocery store converted to a Bingo hall, flea market and dance hall.
There's no question that Southern Oil aims to be a good neighbor, but aesthetic distractions inherent to high-volume gasoline sales simply aren't compatible with historic buildings.
The rules of supply and demand will determine how badly Suffolk needs another gas station/convenience store. Many areas of Suffolk already seems to have an oversupply, but automobiles also are overly abundant.
The best that those who cherish Suffolk history and historical architecture can hope for is a design that recognizes the setting and seeks to be as unobtrusive as possible. MEMO: Comment? Call the editor at 446-2494. by CNB