Old buddy freddy's torn down

[coredumped]

Anyone know what's going in place of the old buddy freddy's in merrill rd?
http://goo.gl/maps/AyOrK
They tore it down and it looks like they're putting up a new building.

[Charles Hunter]

"old" Buddy Freddy's -   young whippersnapper!  Before the two weeks (it seemed) it was a BF, it was a Ryan's Steak House - part of a (local?) chain based here.

I heard a dollar store - don't know which brand - is going there.

[chipwich]

It's going to be a Dollar General.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=537089

[coredumped]

Ugh, that's very disappointing. The area certainly doesn't need another dollar store:


http://goo.gl/maps/zmlv8

[BackinJax05]

"old" Buddy Freddy's -   young whippersnapper!  Before the two weeks (it seemed) it was a BF, it was a Ryan's Steak House - part of a (local?) chain based here.

I heard a dollar store - don't know which brand - is going there.

I remember when Ryan's was under construction, way back in '83. Another building thoughtlessly demolished. It would have made a fine church, like the former Pic-N-Save/Winn Dixie on Lone Star Rd., or the former Chi-Chi's on the Arlington Expressway.

If they REALLY want to improve Arlington through demolition they should start with all the fleabag motels on the expressway.

[Charles Hunter]

Interesting, the low esteme we hold for "dollar stores" ... while having nostalgia for "Five and Dime" stores like Woolworth's, W.T. Grant, G.C. Murphy's, etc.  Is a 60's "5 & 10 cent" store a 21st century "Dollar Store"?

Of course, the dollar stores don't have soda fountains ...

[coredumped]

If they REALLY want to improve Arlington through demolition they should start with all the fleabag motels on the expressway.

I agree, but they must be surviving, most of them are open for business.

Back on Merrill road the area really is thriving. There is nothing vacant/for lease between 295 and JU except for a few things in the Publix plaza. All buildings on that stretch of road are occupied with open businesses.

[BackinJax05]

^^Surviving? Yes.

Supporting an illegal, underground economy? Definitely.

And you're right. Its great to see how well Merrill Rd is doing. Its also nice to see how old buildings there have been recycled instead of torn down. (Except for the old Ryan's/Buddy Freddy's, and Jack in the Box/Ying's Takee Outee that burned down & had to be demolished)

Cases in point: What was a Chicken Unlimited is Dairy Queen. The old A&P is the Salvation Army store. The old Payless is the University Diner. The old Pizza Hut is now Church's Chicken. The old Lum's is a sports bar. The old Kinney Shoes is a produce market. I know there are several more, but these are the only ones I can think of right now.

Downtown could take a lesson from Arlington in how to recycle & re-use old buildings.

Actually, once upon a time most of the fleabag motels on the expressway were very nice - back when Arlington was a suburb and Offshore Power Systems was still in business. The nasty Kings Inn, next door to the old OPS complex, was originally a Holiday Inn complete with restaurants, banquet facilities, and the Cellar Lounge.

The disgusting Regency Inn was a Ramada Inn. It had the Purple Jester lounge & restaurant. The adult congregate living facility was a Quality Inn. The whore & drug infested Travel Inn was once a Scottish Inn; inexpensive but very well kept. Finally, Bethelite was the Thunderbird. Years ago the Thunderbird was one of the best hotels in town.

[coredumped]

Cases in point: What was a Chicken Unlimited is Dairy Queen. The old A&P is the Salvation Army store. The old Payless is the University Diner. The old Pizza Hut is now Church's Chicken. The old Lum's is a sports bar. The old Kinney Shoes is a produce market. I know there are several more, but these are the only ones I can think of right now.

That's awesome, I didn't know all of those.

Merrill is in pretty good shape, but you're right about just about everything along the expressway. I think it's so hard to survive there I don't know what should go there. Maybe they could turn them in to office buildings instead of commercial/retail.

[BackinJax05]

^^ I grew up & Arlington & saw most of this 1st hand.

2 more I thought of:

Merrill Rd. Center @ Merrill & Cesery is still standing. The Sav-A-Lot used to be a Winn-Dixie. The Dollar store was an Eckerd Drug store. The place was expanded about 20 years ago to include AutoZone, Subway, & Gene's Seafood.

The transmission shop across the street has been in business for as long as I can remember.

As for the Arlington Expressway, right now its pretty much a lost cause. Perhaps JTA should sieze those properties through eminent domain now. That way, whenever they expand the expressway (and believe me, they will) JTA wont have to pay as much for the land they'll need.

[coredumped]

Don't forget all the skinners dairy buildings we still have (drippers cafe on merrill, car wash on arlington).

Expand the expressway? Where? I haven't seen any plans about that.

My hope is that when they replace the mathews bridge (which I think will be this decade) they can make a greenway up the center/below it. That would increase foot traffic and possibly be extended down the expressway.

[BackinJax05]

I bought alot of milk from the Skinners on Merrill.

Arlington Expressway expansion is in the planning stages, like the outer beltway was about 25 years ago. As I recall, the plans are to widen AE which will mean tearing down buildings along the right of way.

[tufsu1]

the studies on replacing the bridge and widening the expressway were put on hold years back.....fact is, the expressway will need to be rebuilt at some point, but I doubt it will be widened...the bridge (and approaches on eithere end) would likely be widened to 6 lanes, but that's about it.

also note that a new bridge will cost $300+ million...and based on new FDOT policy regarding new expressways and bridge replacements, might be tolled....bottom line, this is likely 20 years away (which is why FDOT is spending $22 million repainting and replacing all bolts on the bridge now)

[coredumped]

That's what I was afraid of. I don't know that it can hold on for another 20 years though :O

[BackinJax05]

the studies on replacing the bridge and widening the expressway were put on hold years back.....fact is, the expressway will need to be rebuilt at some point, but I doubt it will be widened...the bridge (and approaches on eithere end) would likely be widened to 6 lanes, but that's about it.

also note that a new bridge will cost $300+ million...and based on new FDOT policy regarding new expressways and bridge replacements, might be tolled....bottom line, this is likely 20 years away (which is why FDOT is spending $22 million repainting and replacing all bolts on the bridge now)

Whatever they do, I hope the Mathews Bridge can somehow be incorporated into the new bridge. Perhaps build a "twin" like they did with the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Take out the concrete barrier & have each bridge 3 lanes with a breakdown lane.

I'd really hate to see tolls on it again, but if FDOT builds it we wont have much choice.

Also, build a guideway on the new bridge for commuter rail or a skyway extension. (Now Im REALLY dreaming)