Neither Hoggard nor Wharton think much of retired N&R editor Irwin Smallwood’s idea to move the facade of War Memorial Stadium and “reproduce it as a magnificent entry way to the coliseum parking lot.”
Wharton writes……
Mr. Smallwood is proposing to take a still useful and much-used stadium, and make of it a “useless monument” that its makers disavowed. I mean, the entrance to a parking lot?
I confess that I find Mr. Smallwood’s idea of ripping one of Greensboro’s major architectural landmarks from its setting, where it is much loved and valued by its neighbors, to be simply repulsive. It also goes against every good preservation principle I know……With all due respect to Mr. Smallwood, his idea is about the dumbest I’ve ever heard.
….while Hoggard (post larceny) writes:
Mr. Smallwood is out of touch with reality if he really thinks that such an audacious act of urban removal should be taken seriously. Problem is though, I fear some Greensboro taxpayers will likely read that screed then sit back and say to themselves… “hmmmm, that sounds reasonable.”
The weird thing is Smallwood is a respected newsman here in Greensboro, a guy who was around when newspapers were still relevant. The fact that he can conjure such a crazy idea is only indicative of the fantasy world in which newspaper editors continue to operate.
