Tearing Down a City to Build a Shopping Mall

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Tearing Down a City to Build a Shopping Mall

I exited US Highway 101 South at Madonna Road, squinting into the sun through the windshield of a friends borrowed truck. As I neared the Central Coast Plaza that includes Staples, Bed Bath & Beyond and other retailers, I wondered what was to become of the Dalidio farmland, just south of the shopping center. 130acres of farmland sit just ten yards from the center, separated only by the newly paved Dalidio Road. I thought about how neat it is that we can have agriculture in such close proximity to large scale retail and both can prosper. I parked the truck in the plaza parking lot and strolled across the street to get a sense of the farmland. Rows and rows of cabbage lay in front of me, with tractors scattered, idle in the fields after a hard day of work. A slight breeze accompanied the warm, late afternoon sun. Sunlight leaked through the lines of eucalyptus trees on my right, and it looked as if the sun were meant to shine on these crops for years to come. A dirt path surrounds each field, making a perfect trail for me to saunter on. Just next to Highway 101, the Dalidio farmland paints a beautiful picture of the central coast of California. Despite my positive feelings and the serene look of this agricultural land, the future of the Dalidio farmland is being threatened. On April 26, 2005, voters will decide whether or not a 650,000 square foot shopping center will replace the Dalidio farmland. My spirits were crushed when I realized that this area could soon be destroyed by an enormous retail center. An additional shopping center of this size will ruin the unique economic structure of San Luis Obispo, while also slowly dissolving the city’s small town feel. Small bu...

... middle of paper ...

...un had set, picking up a few pieces of scattered trash, that had no doubt come from the nearby Central Coast Plaza. As I drove away, I noticed one of the fields devoid of crops, wondering if it would be rich with agriculture ever again.

[1] Field Of Dreams, New Times, April 4, 2002 (reprinted on http://www.savesanluisobispo.org/field.htm) – whole paragraph referenced

[2] The Tribune, “Candidate Endorsements Opinon of the Tribune” posted Oct. 17, 2004 (reprinted on http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispotribune/9943390.htm)

[3] “Why the Dalidio Marketplace development is a really bad deal for the city of San Luis Obispo”, Christine Mullholland, http://www.savesanluisobispo.org/christine.htm

[4] Business Week Online, http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/aug2004/sb20040831_0432.htm To Save A Town, Why Did They Destroy It?, Chris Kenton

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