Family Dollar proposed for State & Newnan

[thelakelander]

Don't tell me they can't do urban.  Here is their store in Downtown Chattanooga, TN.

[duvaldude08]

I don't think it will be that bad if State is the more "strip mall" street in downtown.  If that one street makes it seem more convenient to people wanting to move downtown.  There are now plans for a new gas station, CVS and Family Dollar to go along with the close Winn Dixie.  If that street is the one for national chains they would help support the local business in the more urban area to the south.

CVS? Where? At the Parkview?

Yes.

Ah dang. LOL I knew there would be a pharmacy, but I never knew they named one. KOOL

[thelakelander]

^The Chattanooga Family Dollar is a block away from this Chili's restaurant.



and about two blocks away from this Residence Inn by Marriott.




Another Family Dollar in Pittsburgh.


http://www.hillhouse.org/home/about/economic.html

These images prove that major chains have no problem going urban (even with their typical box designs) if zoning makes them.

[duvaldude08]

This is the best I found.

[iloveionia]

My paycheck has been cut over the last years, but my bills have remained the same.  One change I made was avoiding the Target's and Walmarts and heading out to the Dollar Tree (similar as FL's Family Dollar) and buying items there and spending less, MUCH less, and making up for my paycheck cut.

Bring on the store, my only WISH is that the design fit within the neighborhood.  Ennis, do love your altered rendering.  Stores need to fit in the existing neighborhood, not the neighborhood change for the store.

More adaptive reuse should occur.  Why demolish when you can "restore" and make a hip-ass store.  Chain stores should take that into consideration more, and don't give me the song and dance about costs involved.  Embrace history, don't destroy it. 

[thekillingwax]

Unless something has changed, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar are completely different beasts. Family Dollar is like a mini-wal-mart with pretty crappy prices when stuff's not on sale. Even Dollar Tree isn't that good of a deal anymore. When they first opened, there wasn't "dollar store" manufacturing, so they really did sell goods at a discount but ever since the boom, companies are making stuff specifically for Dollar Tree and either the goods are really sub-par (never buy their off-brand batteries or anything electrical unless you like fire) or they're specifically made for them and you can find better deals dollar-for-dollar at bigger stores. Sometimes you do find really decent deals though- they were selling this whole grain bread my wife loves that's usually $3 in other stores.

[Miss Fixit]

The Parkview will probably have a CVS, Walgreens or something similar.  There's nothing wrong with State & Union filling in with major retail.  If we were smart, we'd actually encourage it, considering the high traffic counts and centralized location to downtown and the adjacent neighborhoods.  We just need to make sure, what goes in there is pedestrian oriented moreso than their suburban counterparts.  That's the only way we're going to get back to a point where Springfield seamlessly integrates with downtown from the pedestrian level.

Yes, yes, yes.

We do need to push for the zoning changes that Lakelander has recommended for downtown.  Until that happens, we should be proactive in pushing for better design whether it's required or not.  Corporations generally want to please consumers.  If we make enough noise about the need for an urban design in this location Family Dollar may just do the right thing.

[avonjax]

Don't tell me they can't do urban.  Here is their store in Downtown Chattanooga, TN.

That would be acceptable.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Thekillingwax is correct about the difference between Family Dollar and Dollar Tree.  Dollar Tree is literally a dollar store, whereas Family Dollar is not.  It is just as Thekillingwax described.

I seem to recall there is (or was) an urban format Family Dollar in a former department store storefront in downtown Syracuse too.

[duvaldude08]

[avs]

One way to keep our dollar weak is to keep supporting these stores...how will we ever strengthen our country will paying chinese people 1 dollar a day.

Garden Guy, I completely agree.  I like seeing a new business in downtown - but would rather see some incentives for locally owned.

If we HAVE to have another dollar store (there is one on Main too in Springfield - don't remember if it is Family Dollar or not) I hope we at least pressure them on the urban design issue.  Parking in REAR

[thelakelander]

^That's a Family Dollar too.  Before it was constructed, I was told by a former high ranking member from a neighborhood group that shall remain nameless, that it would be urban (right up against the street).  I guess we had two different ideas of what that meant.


While the 17th & Main store is "against the street", its a completely blank side wall.  The store actually faces the parking lot.

[Kay]

do we really believe they are going to build an urban friendly design? and I have heard that Warren Motors is looking to move.

No, and it has nothing to do with them.  They'll layout what's easist to get approved according to our zoning regulations and since those regulations make it easier for suburban design, that's what we'll be seeing.

Is this location within the downtown overlay boundaries?  I cannot imagine that they won't require building up to the sidewalk.  Someone needs to ask Killingsworth.

[thelakelander]

I need to look this up to be sure but I believe the DT overlay covers State Street's ROW.  Although on State Street, this particular property is on the north side, meaning it falls right outside of it.

[duvaldude08]

Here's some information I just found.

http://library.municode.com/HTML/12174/level4/TITXVIILAUS_CH656ZOCO_PT3SCDIRE_SPHDOOVZODODIRE.html