Liberty is a big and growing university in the city and just yesterday it was announced that the Sandor Coorporation has DONATED the old Pittman Plaza to LU. This old shopping center has seen better days and an entire plan designed by the city of Lynchburg was developed several years ago to revitalise it. Sandor would not sell or entertain any ideas from the city of Lynchburg. Plans probably had already begun between the University and Sandor.
A parcel of land owned by the college is up for rezoning to be developed into a shopping area. This land is located in the Wards Rd. area of the city and part of Campbell County. That area is becoming overdeveloped with traffic a nuisnace.It surely WILL be rezoned to accomodate the university.
Finally "lording" over the entire city is a giant landscaped L U cut into the side of Candler's Mountain. It is huge and can almost be seen from anywhere in the city. It caused a great deal of back and forth in the local paper but since the college owns the land nothing could be done.The environmental concerns were completely ignored by the college.
The "branding" of LU on Lynchburg and this area is not just economic. The political, social and moral issues that face us here in the city will all be affected. If thousands of Liberty students register to vote locally then city council as well as HOD races could swing away from recent Democratic successes.
We are most concerned here in the Hill City.