Thomas Polk Park
The writer is president of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, a national organization.
Polk Park in uptown Charlotte 鈥 a rare and important work by landscape architect Angela Danadjieva that is likely eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places 鈥 is about to be demolished. But wait. According to the Polk Park Partnership Framework approved by the Charlotte City Council on March 13, 2023, 鈥渢he park should be demolished as soon as public engagement is complete,鈥 in a process to 鈥渂e led by the Charlotte Center City Partners.鈥
There鈥檚 one problem. There鈥檚 no evidence on CCCP鈥檚 website or anywhere else that the public engagement the City Council voted for has taken place. Can the CCCP and the city just ignore the public engagement that鈥檚 required before demolition? This is a public park.
Charles Birnbaum, Washington, DC