In Shenandoah, Iowa, rests a historic opportunity. Will the historic Johnson Brothers Mill building be demolished right alongside the Nishnaland Seed and Radio Shack buildings or will we save and renovate this building? The decision is only days away! Over the past few weeks, hashing over this Shenandoah Urban Renewal Plan options 1 & 2, I've come to realize certain truths being manifest in how local citizens feel about the situation. Much to my surprise it has been overwhelmingly the younger generation, roughly 15-45 years, that have a positive outlook on renovation. It's the older generation that sees little hope. I expected it the other way around.
There is much to learn in the spirit and resolve of the younger generation. The feedback received on the Urban Renewal Project bears that out. What is it that they see? What is it that they cling to? Though I can explain this in Biblical terms we won't go into that. As we enter the downtown area and see the broken windows and blighted situation of the building it is often difficult to see beyond what our eyes see. It's difficult to see the potential and value of a sound historic building that is in desperate need of some TLC. For those of you living as a hermit in the forest that means Tender Loving Care.
The world is in disarray. It is ripe with war and corruption. The very government that our young should be looking up to has turned on them over self gratification and veiled hidden designs and agendas. Our current government regime has even recently sought the ability to attack and kill it's own citizens thus subverting the Constitution of the United States and those precious Bill of Rights. Yes, many have lost hope and fall away into despair and self destructive activities. However, there is a quiet revolution taking place and it's taking place in the hearts of those who seek freedom and opportunities of progress.
What is liberty? Liberty is more often than not used as a cliche instead of an actual and almost tangible inherent intended state of the person. Beyond associating the word with a flag or particular instance in American history liberty has everything to do with a person's right of choice. Liberty equally has everything to do with that person's right to expand and grow with opportunities as a result of those choices. Liberty is the pursuit of happiness based on the ill or favored consequences of the unlimited choices we daily make.
I see the fires of liberty being reborn in our youth. Though the waves are hedged up against them they want hope. They want to know what it tastes like. They feel the hope that is naturally born in the hearts of every American citizen. Yet, only a few actually listen to it. It is in them that our trust needs to rest. It is in them that longs for the accompaniment of the stature of our Founding Fathers. They want liberty and they want to do what's right. The question is: Will we allow those few true patriots to rise to their potential and lead us to a prosperous future? Will each of us choose to listen to the voice of liberty within?
Now, what does this have to do with the Johnson Brothers Mill building? Everything! The younger generation of our community is reaching back toward hope. They know that the Johnson Brothers Mill is among the last great historic marks on Shenandoah. It has an inherent connection with each one of us in this community. PLUS, if renovated would make a huge community impression for any investor wanting to purchase the building for productive purposes.
The hope is in knowing that as long as the building stands and we've chosen to improve the site then there is hope of interested investors. The lack of hope or the stripping of liberty is in knowing that once the building is torn down, that's it, there is no going back. There is no hope of a business or investor taking over the building thus putting it back on the tax rolls of the city. There is no hope of permanently claiming a true historic icon of this city. There are no "choices" after that.
As I've mentioned to Shenandoah constituents my main factor is in whether or not the building is secure and safe. I've believed on the words of others that the building is solid. I took that information at face value until I recently was given a walk through. Now that I've gone through the Johnson Brothers Mill I know for a surety that the building is solid and will easily stand another century right where it is. I had no idea just how well built that structure was! I was also greatly impressed with the size and shapes of the rooms in there.
I have no doubt that if we clean up the Johnson Brothers Mill it won't take long before investors are excited to investigate their portfolio possibilities in the Johnson Mills building.
Take the Urban Renewal poll NOW!
As it stands now I plan to vote for the renovation of Johnson Mills because I like to stay on the side of hope when hope is still alive. I do it because I see beyond the broken windows and into the heart of a building that still has use and value to the great city of Shenandoah. I invite Shenandoah residents to attend the City Council meeting on March 12 at 6 p.m. in the Council chambers at City Hall. Thumbs up or down it is still a part of your history being decided on no matter what your age is.
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