Letter to the Editor: Blain Town Square

The Village Board opposes the proposed Blain Town Square development for many reasons, including its impacts on water usage and wastewater capacity; potential environmental impacts to migratory wildlife and endangered species; the extensive amount of impervious surface and resulting polluted stormwater runoff; the lack of meaningful green space within the overall plan; the proposed traffic circle surrounding a historic cemetery; housing areas without a connected sidewalk system; and the absence of parkland or public recreational space.

The impact that a commercial development of this scale could have on the Village’s business district is concerning. The pattern of overdevelopment on the outskirts of traditional downtowns has been well documented throughout decades of planning experience. Warwick has been a model of downtown revitalization and economic vitality in part because it remains surrounded by farmland and open space. Its character is distinct, well preserved, and free from the clutter of sprawl. Visitors are drawn to Warwick because it offers something that has been lost in many other communities. New businesses choose to locate within the Village’s historic center because it stands apart from conventional suburban development patterns. Unfortunately, those same suburban models were once embraced by many communities and ultimately contributed to the decline of Main Streets throughout the region.

This would transform a productive rural landscape into a car-oriented suburban heat island.

The size of the proposed commercial units suggest a focus on fast-food establishments, discount retailers, and national chain stores. When people think of Warwick, this is not what comes to mind. The notion that “if you build it, they will come” is a risky development strategy that lacks sensitivity to the community’s character and ignores the lessons learned from the many similar retail developments that have struggled or failed elsewhere.

Michael J. Newhard
Mayor, Village of Warwick