©
LOCUST GROVE
Wal-Mart is rejecting another proposed alternative site for a planned Supercenter in Orange County that has angered Civil War battlefield preservationists.
The latest offer comes from Mansour Azimipour, president and CEO of A&K Development Corp.
He said his property, two miles from the Wilderness battlefield, is zoned commercially and ready for development.
But Wal-Mart spokesman Keith Morris said that site was evaluated by the retailer before it selected its site in Locust Grove. He said no other nearby site tops Wal-Mart's final selection on Va. 3.
The Locust Grove site has stirred protests by historic preservationists, who contend it is too close to the Wilderness battlefield.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
It IS part of the battlefield
Any land of historic value should be protected. Just because it hasn't already been protected as a park or historic site, doesn't mean we can't change it and acknowledge it's historic value. This site was set up as a field hospital twice. Men suffered and died there. 8,300 soldier were treated there during the Battle of the Wilderness alone. This land IS part of the battlefield, whether or not it is currently recognized. We need to protect this land. Please read the testimony on the site http://www.civilwar.org/take-action/speak-out/wilderness-walmart/ before assuming the land has no historic value and isn't part of the battlefield.
Current protected battlefield, not the issue.
If you read the testimony on http://www.civilwar.org/take-action/speak-out/wilderness-walmart/ you will see that "Thousands of wounded and dying soldiers occupied the then open fields that included the Walmart Site, which is where many of the Union Army hospital tents were located during that battle. One year earlier, the Confederate Army hospital tents were located in this area during the Battle of Chancellorsville. In 1993, the Congressionally-established Civil War Sites Advisory Commission determined after careful examination of official records and other sources that what is now the Walmart Site lies within the “study area,” and is therefore part of, both of those battlefields." I believe any land of historic value should be protected.
City's fault, not Walmart
The city allowed the property near (not on) the battlefield to be zoned for commercial use and Walmart bought it. If the city and citizens were so concerned they would have spoke up during the rezoning of the property. It is the huge anti-Walmart crowd that is fighting this, using the NEARBY battlefield as a crutch. The Walmart, other than being close to the battlefield, would have no impact on it.
Norfolk
Listen to Norfolk Fire and Rescue scanner live hear news as it happens
Norfolk Fire & Rescue http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=2942
I Agree, buy the land
Nothing would make me happier than for the Preservation Trust to be able to purchase this land and preserve it as it should. I hope this happens. But to those who purchase property that is on or near a national historic, sacred place, your property rights to sell to a big chain store or amusement park are limited. Property rights do not give you the right to put whatever you think will give you a big fat profit at the expense of our forebears who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and defense of our country and state. There are no guarantees in live.
And another ting...
that goes for the food products they sell in the Super Chinamarts. Check the food labels, especially the frozen stuff. How do you think they get it so cheap. They might have excellent buying power but much of that stuff does in fact come from China. And, we've all heard the stories of the melamin tainted pet food and even baby food products. Yumm! Check the labels and choose very carefully folks.
Get real
I can remember back in the day the Walmart slogan "Buy American" and they had the American flags all over the stores. What happened to that? I'll tell you what, it was nothing more than a marketing pitch to get patriotic folks in the stores and it worked. Now, you go in and 9 times out of 10 what you are buying is made in China. So that's not enough they now need to build on top of historic sites that should be well preserved. Once they are gone, they gone forever. I for one don't think we need another "Chinamart"!
I don't understand what all the fuss is about!
Hey, those who oppose the WalMart development! What's the problem? Isn't there already about 50-100,000 square feet of commercial development within a quarter mile of the proposed site? It seems like you're trying to close the door when the horse is already out of the barn. ... Or maybe there is some other motive related just to WalMart
THE OUTSIDERS HAVE AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE
Let us take a look at Mansour Azimipour, president and CEO of A&K Development Corporation the group that bought and rezoned the land for commercial use. Mr. Azimipour is from Iran! Who is this Iranian living in our country, showing no respect for our history, all the while attempting to destroy what little history we do have?
The historical site needs to be preserved. If Mr Azimipour has no respect for the historical importance of that area and the thousands who perished there he should go ahead and leave America.
read the story again
Azimipour is offering an *alternative* to the proposed site. The mighty Wal*Mart turned him down. Azimipour's site is 2 miles from the battlefield. Wal*Mart wants to plop its store one quarter of a mile from the battlefield.
In other words, the dastardly Iranian's plan would have been more respectful of our history (and, certainly, profitable to him) than what is likely to happen instead.
Knee-jerk impulses, much?