Inappropriate Anagrams

Saturday February 6

Still out of town, so no Lansdale shopping.

So today we’re going to shake some things up.  I like anagrams.  I like doing the Jumble puzzles in the paper.  You know, you mix up the letters of a word to make another word.

Let’s pretend the letters L-A-N-S-D-A-L-E are on separate dice.  One for each letter.

OK - let’s roll ‘em!  Roll-roll-roll.  

ANAL SLED.  

Oh, no! No no no no no no no no.  Quick!  Re-roll the dice!  That is NOT the anagram we are going to use today!

Roll-roll-roll.  LAND SALE.  Good.  That’s one I can work with.

Because revitalization is a little like anagrams.  You have to shake things up to come up with something better.  

Perhaps we should look into Land Sale to make Lansdale a better place.

So let’s talk about in-fill development.  Wikipedia defines in-fill development as the use of land within a built-up area for further construction, especially as part of a community redevelopment or growth management program or as part of smart growth.

We see many examples of in-fill development in Lansdale, both large and small.  On the smaller scale, we have seen new homes go up on vacant lots on the 700 block of York Avenue,  the 800 block of Columbia Avenue, over on Highland Avenue and the 300 block of Perkiomen Avenue.  Nice, modern homes that both suit the needs of today’s home buyers and fit in well with the look and feel of the existing home stock.  

On the larger scale, we see the re-use of obsolete commercial plots that get turned into brand new neighborhoods like Cannon Square, Williamson Square and Andale Green.

Large or small, in-fill development can spur interest in an area from a wider pool of buyers.  It can spur people in the original homes to remodel and update their properties to compete with the newcomers on the block.

We also see in-fill development in our commercial district.  The Village at West Main is a great example, with retail and small businesses replacing defunct industrial buildings.  The replacement of the old McDonald's on East Main Street.  The potential of what will replace the old laundromat on West Main Street.

Right now we have about 85 residential lots in Lansdale Borough that do not have anything built on them.  Plus numerous large industrial tracts that are just begging to be revitalized and redeveloped.

We need to start shaking things up.  Like a Jumble puzzle.  And turn what we have into something amazing.

Shake things up.  Like anagrams.  Because Revitalization = A Violent Air  Zit (Sorry - those letters just won't spell anything inspiring.)

So, today’s score:

No Lansdale Shopping

Let’s see what today brings!