Preserving History of Fifth Street

Redeveloping an old part of Lynchburg — or any city — always raises these questions: Do you tear down the old, often damaged, buildings and start over? Or do you try to salvage the old buildings and give them a new life?

Preservationists have argued successfully over the years in favor of preserving the old buildings wherever and whenever possible. The old structures reflect the history of that part of the city and rarely can that history be recreated once the old buildings are torn down.

Also arguing in favor of preserving the old buildings are the materials and architecture, which are not often duplicated because of the high expense. In many cases, the old brick and wood floors smoothed down by the ages are simply not available. Renovated structures give a flavor to the old neighborhood that just can’t be replaced with a new building constructed of modern materials.

That discussion is taking place in the meeting rooms of the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority as it helps map out the future of a portion of Fifth Street. That’s the corridor that links downtown with midtown and the suburbs. It’s a vital part of the city that appears to be on the verge of new life after years of something less than prosperity.

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Instead, the authority was criticized by activists supporting the corridor who believed the buildings were still valuable and worthy of being restored rather than demolished.

Authority members have now determined they will not make that mistake again. They are considering putting the future of the five buildings they own in the 700 block of Fifth Street in the hands of a real estate agent to help market the structures. They are committed to preserving and restoring the five remaining buildings owned by the authority.

So, the authority plans to interview three real estate agencies next month in hopes of getting some help in promoting a new life for the buildings.

“We need to have some experts that can guide us in this process and help us market these properties,” authority chairman Joe Seiffert said. He added his hope that the authority can reach a “broader audience” than it has before.

There seems to be a fair amount of interest in marketing the properties. After approaching several local real estate agents last month, the authority received proposals from five of them to help with the marketing and ultimate sales. Authority members voted to select three agencies that will be invited to present proposals to them next month.

That’s another step forward for Fifth Street, which received a boost in September with the opening of the roundabout and redevelopment of the blocks approaching it. New life for those old buildings can not only help that important corridor, but also the entire city by expanding the economy and the tax base.

Let’s hope a successful marketing venture is just around the corner in the march toward a rejuvenated Fifth Street.