The walls at The Gazette are shaking this week as workers tear down portions of CenterPoint MarketPlace to extend Third Street to CenterPoint Drive.
I suppose the new road will give Gazette staffers faster access to Pfiffner Pioneer Park, in case one of us has a park craving we need to quickly satisfy, or in case somebody wants to take a break to chase away geese at the park as a volunteer opportunity. I heard the city has people sentenced to community service for that, though.
Otherwise, we’ll probably only notice the new extended road as something that required the removal of some big, beautiful trees on the street. Those trees were removed for the new road, much like Saruman’s forces ripped trees down to help build an Orc army in “Lord of the Rings.”
While the city’s intent isn’t quite as evil as those of people and creatures looking to take over the world, some residents might not agree, as the demolition of the mall has initiated controversy for many years.
I’m on the fence. For the most part, the mall seemed like a wasteland, with many of the stores going unused. Walking in the mall, even at its busiest times in recent years, was sometimes agonizing, simply because you felt bad for some of the store owners who weren’t getting the business they deserved.
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