New Convenience Store

[Dan B]

[Springfield Girl]

After reading this thread last night I thought about it long and hard. Why do we, as residents, immediately oppose certain proposed uses in our neighborhood? How can residents, non residents, visitors and business owners view the neighborhood and it's issues so differently? I really tried to be objective. I thought about the past, present and what brought us to this point and this is what it boiled down to for me. It only takes listening to the many negative perceptions about Springfield from outsiders and seeing the way certain owners run their businesses to see why we feel the way we do. Springfield was the ghetto for years and many people still see it that way including what is probably a majority of the business owners here. When we hear comments about the blight in our neighborhood it is not addressed toward the restored or new homes but the boarded up homes and undesirable businesses and the people they attract. So why did business owners come to an area that was considered a ghetto? From my point of view as a resident who sees it on a daily basis it seems that they could make money without having to put in much effort. If you look at a lot of the businesses (I'm not saying all) they do not spend any money on beautification or maintainence of their buildings or grounds. They do a brisk cash business supplying goods to people who do not have many other options. They are able to charge higher prices without having to deliver higher quality goods, service or atmosphere. I can see how it is a good model financially for the owners but not only does it not benefit me or my family it burdens us with the blight and litter it produces. We can't tell even by talking with someone if they are being honest or truthful as we have all been told what we wanted to hear by people trying to get their projects approved. We have all been burned by past experience which has made us very wary of peoples intentions. So the options seem to be, accept whatever comes and hope for the best (not a very good track record) try to work with a prospective owner if they are willing, to acheive a common goal or oppose the unkown and unproven. On the car wash issue several things came to mind. According to RAP, whom most people on this forum seem to respect and admire, a contributing structure was 50 years old when the district was founded, not 50 years from today. (Springfield received her designation in 1987) They also stated in their most recent newsletter that "in the 60's after consolidation, urban planners thought the best way to "save" Riverside was to rezone a huge swath of it for commercial and institutional growth" "The subsequent zoning changes actually hastened the neighborhoods decay by encouraging the conversion and/or demolition of housing stock."  The same zoning happened 30 years earlier in Springfield causing the same demise. The carwash was built during this neighborhood decline after Springfield  was rezoned for commercial use. If this use was deemed so desirable for a residential neighborhood I don't believe it would need an exception to be allowed. The carwash is not proposed for Main St. but for 4th which is a residential block and it has been out of operation for 17 years. As far as beautification goes, what could you possibly do with the yards and yards of concrete slab and shell that are the car wash? It would take a major renovation to make it presentable at best. The owner also did not come to the neighborhood until two weeks prior to the zoning hearing and he brought no plans or presentation for the project, which doesn't make me feel too good about his intentions. Bill Cesery was coming to the neighborhood years before his project ever came out of the ground and spent a year just getting through historic planning. I personally am against any more of the commercial intrusion into residential blocks that was much of the cause of the neighborhoods original decline. We have two huge commercial corridors bisecting our neighborhood and I feel that is more than adequate for commercial interests. I have seen the argument on MJ that anything is better than an empty building but those of us who live here have seen how untrue that sentiment can be.

[nvrenuf]

I checked with the SPAR office. Silas Jones contacted them via phone and did not sign in at the meeting so they do not have email or phone contact info. They also recommended contacting the Planning Dept for contact info.

[Johnny]

His address is available, worst case scenario a postcard can be sent.

[fsu813]

Good to hear those words.

He must be very wealthy.

[Dan B]

Matt, I also saw as I drove by, that he is removing the chainlink. Is he replacing it with something else, or removing it outright?

[zoo]

It is good to see more chainlink fencing go. Look forward to hearing what Matt finds out.

[fsu813]

i'd be happy to drive by his other carwashes, if you can get thier addresses.

[Springfielder]

Springfield Girl...as far as I'm concerned, you nailed it! I have to say that I concur with you, 100%!

[thelakelander]

I just talked to Silas.  The convenience store will have "car stuff" - air fresheners, towels, soda, chips and NO ALCOHOL, WINE, OR CIGARETTES.  All vacuum stations will have a trash receptacle and he will be on-site everyday to make sure they are empty and constantly police the grounds for trash.  He is planning to put a privacy fence around the dumpster with a locking gate.  There are 40' light poles which he said will be on all night.  He told me that he is spending $500,000.00 on new equipment etc.  I am going to go meet him this afternoon and get more pictures of the interior and equipment.  More info to follow....

Good job, Matt!

[fsu813]

does $500k seem like an extraordinary amount of money, or is it just me?

[danno]

does $500k seem like an extraordinary amount of money, or is it just me?

Fred Deluca started Subway with $1000.00 from a family friend.  So some would say that $500k is quite a chunk of change.

[jason_contentdg]

^ That amount of money is directly attributed to equipment and site costs.

If he were starting this thing up with a bucket of suds, a water hose, and a sponge things would be different.

[jason_contentdg]

I'm preparing to post the pictures shortly and will add narrative; once I figure out all this high tech stuff.

I didn't think you could post pictures with so few posts under your belt.

[fsu813]

Matt,

did you find out what other car washes he has, by chance?