At tonight's CAC meeting I made my comments. My comments informed the room that Marshall's was coming to town.
After the meeting ended, Elise Swanson, a Vice-President for BDC came to me and said that traffic generated by retail is four times the traffic generated by housing.
Ms. Swanson is absolutely, positively, 100% correct and I would defend her facts as being true.
There are some facts that I feel we need to remind folks about retail and where it is put.
Marshall's is a retail sales business that is being constructed in a space vacated by a retail sales business. There is no zoning change and it is basically a one-for-one exchange; retail out, then retail in.
If Ms. Swanson wishes to complain about this then I have a proposal for her. Why doesn't Bob do a one-for-one exchange at Ponte Vista? Currently there are 245 duplexes on the Ponte Vista site. If we allow Bob to build whatever he wants and keep the exact density that the 245 duplexes had, then I don't think I would object to that at all.
Marshall's needed no zoning change. They didn't wish to put a much larger store than the building is now. In fact, there is a swimming pool in the place once occupied by part of the old Do-It center.
There are also folks who are angry that San Pedro was not involved in consideration of the Marshall's going in, as it will affect Western Avenue. That could have been a good argument if Marshall's were replacing a retail sales business, I guess. But with the one-for-one and not grand size enlargement of the existing structures, I don't see where their anger is coming from.
I would think that both supporters of Bob's plans and opponents of Bob's plans would welcome a new store where the prices are not as high as other stores and the clothing lines are being refreshed.
What Marshall's does do is probably make a new cause for another traffic count along Western once it opens to see how the increased traffic will affect whatever Bob wants to build at Ponte Vista.
So I guess here is one more question to answer; Do you prefer 1,950 condos on Western or a new Marshall's?
2 comments:
Did Elise complain when the giant Albertsons was built on Western?
mellonhead-
If I recall correctly...and I think I do... "Elise" was not Janice Hahn's rep. at the time Albertson's left RPV to relocate in San Pedro. (Garden Village Shopping Center.) However, my guess is Elise did not oppose generating greater tax revenue for S. P.
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