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Lowe's should branch out with better policy - San Antonio
A heritage oak tree believed to be hundreds of years
old was uprooted to make room for a new Lowe's Home
Improvement Warehouse in San Antonio.
San Antonio Express-News
January 7, 2001
To: Robert Tilman, president,
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
I am writing on behalf of the Vance Jackson Neighborhood Association, which represents some 4,500 residents in approximately 21 neighborhoods in San Antonio. We reside in an area across the highway where Lowe's is building a new store in San Antonio, at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Callaghan Road.
Our organization was both distressed and saddened that a company with the size and stature of Lowe's wasn't willing to set itself apart as a positive force in our area by preserving such a priceless asset as the ancient live oak tree that was located on the site of your new store. It was a well-known landmark in the area and was estimated to be from 135 to 200 years old. Such a responsible act would have stood out in the minds of many of our residents that were potential customers for your new store. Although no laws were broken, certainly a violation occurred in that the tree can never be replaced.
We respect Lowe's right to do business in any community and appreciate the goods, services and jobs your organization will bring to San Antonio. Many of our residents were looking forward to the opening of your new store. Although both articles in the San Antonio Express-News and local newscasts have already cast a negative light on Lowe's, we hope your company will choose to be an exemplary corporate neighbor by positively participating in the community. In addition, we strongly urge you to carefully plan the landscaping of this site so that it fits in with the character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
While in this unfortunate instance a priceless community asset cannot be replaced, it does not mean that Lowe's cannot avoid such blunders in the future at other sites in other communities. We would like to see corporate policies and procedures that are sensitive to the unique character of any area in which Lowe's chooses to locate a facility.
Hopefully, these would be standards that exceed what your organization might expect to encounter in the communities in which you select to do business. It could well turn into a marketing edge in this age of mega and hyper stores that look so much alike.
As big as a Lowe's store might be, wouldn't it be noteworthy (and perhaps profitable) to have potential customers say, "Wasn't it amazing how Lowe's was able build that big, new store and still save that old oak tree?" Or, "Isn't it amazing how Lowe's made such a large project look so good?" I think I speak for a large majority of our membership when I say, "I'd be more willing to shop there than their competitor down the street."
Thank you for your time. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Allan D. Riggs
Allan D. Riggs is president of the Vance Jackson Neighborhood Association.
Copyright 2001 San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
January 7, 2001
To: Robert Tilman, president,
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
I am writing on behalf of the Vance Jackson Neighborhood Association, which represents some 4,500 residents in approximately 21 neighborhoods in San Antonio. We reside in an area across the highway where Lowe's is building a new store in San Antonio, at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Callaghan Road.
Our organization was both distressed and saddened that a company with the size and stature of Lowe's wasn't willing to set itself apart as a positive force in our area by preserving such a priceless asset as the ancient live oak tree that was located on the site of your new store. It was a well-known landmark in the area and was estimated to be from 135 to 200 years old. Such a responsible act would have stood out in the minds of many of our residents that were potential customers for your new store. Although no laws were broken, certainly a violation occurred in that the tree can never be replaced.
We respect Lowe's right to do business in any community and appreciate the goods, services and jobs your organization will bring to San Antonio. Many of our residents were looking forward to the opening of your new store. Although both articles in the San Antonio Express-News and local newscasts have already cast a negative light on Lowe's, we hope your company will choose to be an exemplary corporate neighbor by positively participating in the community. In addition, we strongly urge you to carefully plan the landscaping of this site so that it fits in with the character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
While in this unfortunate instance a priceless community asset cannot be replaced, it does not mean that Lowe's cannot avoid such blunders in the future at other sites in other communities. We would like to see corporate policies and procedures that are sensitive to the unique character of any area in which Lowe's chooses to locate a facility.
Hopefully, these would be standards that exceed what your organization might expect to encounter in the communities in which you select to do business. It could well turn into a marketing edge in this age of mega and hyper stores that look so much alike.
As big as a Lowe's store might be, wouldn't it be noteworthy (and perhaps profitable) to have potential customers say, "Wasn't it amazing how Lowe's was able build that big, new store and still save that old oak tree?" Or, "Isn't it amazing how Lowe's made such a large project look so good?" I think I speak for a large majority of our membership when I say, "I'd be more willing to shop there than their competitor down the street."
Thank you for your time. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Allan D. Riggs
Allan D. Riggs is president of the Vance Jackson Neighborhood Association.
Copyright 2001 San Antonio Express-News
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