Wish we could get together a nextSTL panel event on this - seems a microcosm of the "Who is the city for" topic. What kind of development do we seek? Whose voice counts? How long would we rather have something remain vacant?
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Gotta say, as someone that leaves down the street from the development, this is kind of disappointing. Not exactly stoked about a Save a Lot.
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I don't get the argument that poor people need access to horribly under-nourishing boxed up processed foods to sustain themselves. I repeatedly see several neighbors on my street who are certainly in the lower-income bracket at Soulard Market buying produce and better quality meat at the butcher. We don't need more low end crap in the city. We need access for ALL to quality housing, city services, food, etc. This part of the city needs some respect, and I fear Sav-A-Lot is catering to the lowest common denominator. Just like the family dollar planned for the shuttered Burger King in McKinley Heights...not an inspiring upgrade for the area.
Actually food stamp enrollment has exploded since the great recession began. There is a need for affordable food. It can be acquired at other places.
It would be better to demolish the building and turn this into an urban farm than have SAL as a tenant. But I suppose to an alderperson who likes gas stations this is progress.
It would be better to demolish the building and turn this into an urban farm than have SAL as a tenant. But I suppose to an alderperson who likes gas stations this is progress.
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I was wondering if the powerful voices in Lafayette Square might attempt to kabosh this crappy SavAlot but then I thought, well, maybe they're not too powerful otherwise there would be a decent grocery store at the Foodland site a long time ago.
As the news of the SavAlot has settled in my mind I have become more depressed about it.
Just imagine, for a moment, if the news broke that the Foodland site was going to be a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's? Just pretend a moment...can you imagine the momentum and excitement????!!!!
There needs to be an effort to get these kids off all this processed chips and cakes and candies and soda and juice. It's making them fat and crazy and irritable and too twitchy with an AK!
As the news of the SavAlot has settled in my mind I have become more depressed about it.
Just imagine, for a moment, if the news broke that the Foodland site was going to be a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's? Just pretend a moment...can you imagine the momentum and excitement????!!!!
There needs to be an effort to get these kids off all this processed chips and cakes and candies and soda and juice. It's making them fat and crazy and irritable and too twitchy with an AK!
Maybe that effort should be taken on by those kids' parentsThere needs to be an effort to get these kids off all this processed chips and cakes and candies and soda and juice. It's making them fat and crazy and irritable and too twitchy with an AK!
Is SAL opening a location there official news or just speculation?
My thought, is that people in Lafayette Square want something to come frutition on the development behind Walgreens. But really don't know the neighborhoodleeharveyawesome wrote:I was wondering if the powerful voices in Lafayette Square might attempt to kabosh this crappy SavAlot but then I thought, well, maybe they're not too powerful otherwise there would be a decent grocery store at the Foodland site a long time ago.
I think it is speculation at this point, waiting on biz journal byline or PD building blocks or a Alex posting.stlien wrote:Is SAL opening a location there official news or just speculation?
Question, this is Green Street Projects development correct? Nothing on their website or maybe they haven't bothered to post it for a while. In addition, one thought going through my head is that this would be an ideal candidate for Market Tax Credits. St. Louis Development Corp qualified for another round and can easily see them make this one of their committments. Unless SLDC has some better/bigger fish in the pond
Yes, it's a green street project. I'm pretty sure they will receive new market tax credits.
The name and nature of the store going into the Foodland site will be revealed in a community meeting on Tuesday.
Email from Kacie Starr Triplett via TGE listserv:
Email from Kacie Starr Triplett via TGE listserv:
Hi Neighborhood Leaders:
> Will you please do me a huge favor and distribute to your various list
> serves an upcoming community forum on the new grocery store planned at
> Jefferson & Lafayette.
>
> The developers who will be completing this project will be on hand, and
> the name of the grocery store will be publicly announced at the meeting.
>
> In addition, residents will be able to see renderings of the store and
> learn about the other retail tenants that will be part of the project.
> Because this is such a large development project in a major intersection,
> it is important to get the word out so residents can be informed and get
> their questions answered. Your assistance is most appreciated. Thanks!
>
> For your convenience, I have attached a flyer that is supposed to be very
> easy to email and post on social media pages and incorporate in web based
> messaging.
>
> Here are the details as well:
>
> *Community Forum on New Grocery Store Coming to the Neighborhood*
> *Tuesday, May 22, 2012*
> *7:00pm *
> *1444 S. Compton Avenue St. Louis, MO 63104 (Mount Zion MB Church) *
> *Learn about the new grocery store coming into the vacant Foodland
> building at Jefferson & Hwy 44. The grocery store name will be publicly
> revealed. Also, developers and representatives from the grocery store will
> be on hand to reveal the renderings of the development project and answer
> any questions. *
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Sounds as though the other tenants are a lock. I'm pulling for hardware store and fitness center.In addition, residents will be able to see renderings of the store and learn about the other retail tenants that will be part of the project.
Club fitness? They've expanded like crazy, nice to see a local company do well.
Save-A-Lot grocery store and there are also plans for a hardware store, coffee shop, fitness gym and bank.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/320971 ... d-building
Also, keep an eye on http://www.greenstreetstl.com/gs1.cfm (the developer) as they are supposed to be revealing more information through their website today...skeptical since they haven't posted a new 'news' item since March 9, 2010...
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/320971 ... d-building
Also, keep an eye on http://www.greenstreetstl.com/gs1.cfm (the developer) as they are supposed to be revealing more information through their website today...skeptical since they haven't posted a new 'news' item since March 9, 2010...
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The neighbors from Fox Park, Lafayette Park, Gate District and beyond were very underwhelmed. You could've heard a pin drop when they made the announcement about Sav-A-Lot, followed by a slight smattering of applause. Some spoke out in favor with the usual "it's better than nothing argument"...others were vehemently against it and disappointed community input was not sought. I sincerely hope they manage this store better than the Jefferson/Cherokee and Loughborough/Morgan Ford locs. I've never been to the one on the Hill, so I can't speak to whether that's a clean/safe store or not.
- 10K
So they held a meeting to announce the tenant that everyone that everyone already assumed would be going in there and then made no mention of the other tenants? Sounds like a huge waste of time.
I want to hear specifics like Ace Hardware, Starbucks, Club Fitness and First Bank, not "hardware store, coffee shop, gym and bank."
I want to hear specifics like Ace Hardware, Starbucks, Club Fitness and First Bank, not "hardware store, coffee shop, gym and bank."
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^^Where the hell are Diebergs and Schnuck's? Still trying to "expand" down in the freakin Ozarks? (Schnuck's has Culineria which is awesome, but still)
The avg. income in the city is steadily increasing and I would definitely say there are enough people to support better grocers.
Good points debaliviere.
The avg. income in the city is steadily increasing and I would definitely say there are enough people to support better grocers.
Good points debaliviere.
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Yeah, me too. They were holding their cards close to the chest as no leases have been signed. A "national fitness chain" was mentioned as being very close toward leasing the northern most section of the building, with Sav-A-Lot on the southern most section. That leaves room for something in the middle. Beauty shop, telecommunications and sandwich shop are other things they mentioned. (I assume a cricket, king's beauty and subway sounds consistent with the sav-a-lot choice). We'll see.debaliviere wrote:I want to hear specifics like Ace Hardware, Starbucks, Club Fitness and First Bank, not "hardware store, coffee shop, gym and bank."
Mark Groth wrote: Beauty shop, telecommunications and sandwich shop are other things they mentioned. (I assume a cricket, king's beauty and subway sounds consistent with the sav-a-lot choice). We'll see.
Why on earth can't we attract higher end tenants?
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Because they'll fail and businesses really don't like to fail.
There is always the option of a high end neighborhood co-op. Seems like one would thrive in that area.
- 10K
I think you may be dead-on with that prediction.Mark Groth wrote:debaliviere wrote:Beauty shop, telecommunications and sandwich shop are other things they mentioned. (I assume a cricket, king's beauty and subway sounds consistent with the sav-a-lot choice).