Welcome to Sprawlville

By Don Rittner

What's the difference between Wolf Road in Colonie and Columbia Turnpike in Defreestville, East Greenbush? Not much! Except that the east side of the turnpike is not completely destroyed by commercial development - yet!

If the Town of East Greenbush allows the destruction to go forward this week of the Defreest-Church historic homestead, then perhaps they should rename themselves "Sprawlville." In fact, as you read this, it may already be destroyed. This is one clear case where a historic building should have been saved and the politicos of East Greenbush, Nigro Companies, and Target Stores should be ashamed of themselves.

In a nutshell, if people were doing their job in East Greenbush they should have insisted that this integral part of their history be incorporated into the development plan for the new Target store when first proposed. Instead, they wanted to insure that Target, another national big box, would have a few more parking spaces at the expense of one of the town's most historic resources. How can a half-million square-foot store not be able to accommodate a 1,800 square-foot house? Isn't there a green space requirement in this town? Could not the preservation of this intact homestead satisfy the requirement instead of those stupid "green" islands they leave between parking lots?

One local business neighbor has expressed an interest in having the building moved 2/10ths of a mile down the road. Nigro has publicly stated the desire to save the building and even agreed to put up $40,000, the cost to demolish it, although a figure of $200,000 was mentioned which is totally unrealistic and seemed more designed to scare any potential savior away. A professional building mover has given a price of $18,000 to move it and $12,000 for a new foundation. So, Nigro would SAVE money by not tearing it down!

This is not a case where a historic building is in delapidated shape. It was recently renovated by the former owner and even had a plaque on the front of the building expressing that it was faithfully restored (plaque is now gone).

There is definitely more to this story than meets the eye. Something doesn't make sense. I don't believe Target is the bad guy here. In fact, it makes no sense when you look at some recent facts.

In 2000, Heritage Preservation, which administers the Save Outdoor Sculpture! (SOS!) program, that is dedicated to working with local communities to save works of historical significance, received funds from the National Endowment for the Arts AND Target Stores to conserve artistically and historically significant public sculpture. Target and NEA contributed $1.4 million to the project.

The city of Baltimore recently restored the Francis Scott Key Monument after receiving a $62,500 grant from the Target Stores/SOS Program. The award was presented in a ceremony with then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Also in 2000, 22 Target stores in Pennsylvania recycled 3,538.51 tons of old corrugated cardboard and provided environmental education to store employees including "EcoLogic," a quarterly environmental newsletter. Furthermore, an employee that expends extra efforts in waste reduction is considered an "Eco Hero" and is acknowledged in the newsletter and a tree is planted in their name in the Chippewa National Forest.

In the fall of 1998, "Teaching with Historic Places," a program of the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places and the National Park Foundation created a curriculum kit that brought stories from six of our national parks into the classroom. These original boxed kits were funded by Target Stores and The Eureka Company, and were distributed at all Target stores. Target designed and printed approximately 40,000 copies of Explore Your National Parks: Historic Places and was distributed free of charge during its 2nd Annual Teacher Appreciation Day that year.

In 1996, Target was the National Park Foundation's largest corporate partner for historic preservation by adopting the Washington Monument restoration project as its funding priority and raised $5 million to ensure its restoration. In 1993, a promotion sponsored by Target Stores generated $250,000 for parks.

So what gives here? Does this sound like a company bent to destroy local history? Is Target aware of the controversy over the Defreest Site? Is the developer keeping it from them? Is Nigro the bad guy here? Wait, he publicly stated he wants to save it and will donate the $40,000 to move it, if not keep it on site?

So what is the real story? If everyone wants to save it, why isn't it saved?