Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.

[JJxvi]

Even assuming you are correct and Fiesta is having problems in the Heights then its is most likely down to the fact that Fiesta's approach and marketing is hispanic oriented and since 1990 the Hispanic population of 77008 (and probably even more extreme within the actual Heights) has dropped by 46% (17920 persons/55% of total as of 1990 census AND 9672 persons/32% of total as of 2010 census) rather than competition. The fact that more mainstream/majority grocers are having more success than the minority catering grocer is that the area has become less of a minority center than it was 20 years ago.

Edited January 14, 2013 by JJxvi

[JJxvi]

The decline in 77007 is even more extreme as it dropped from 55% hispanic in 2000 (as opposed to 1990 in 008) to 30% in 2010, declining roughly the same percentage in only 10 years.

[RedScare]

And Fiesta is incapable of buying land? Fiesta has been ditching inside the loop because they are no longer able to compete with all the giant Krogers, HEBs and Walmarts with their older and smaller stores. And ultimately, they would never consider buying the land to keep their store when they are going to have to compete with a giant new Walmart and Kroger. Fiesta is a small local chain that does not have the capital to upgrade the stores inside the loop to be able to compete with the oversized HEBs, Krogers and Walmarts. While Weingarten and the owner of the land in Montrose were ultimately the ones that sent Fiesta packing, the fact that new Krogers, Walmarts and HEBs were sprouting up around them made the decision to just close up shop a no brainer for Fiesta.

Oh, you poor thing! Little Fiesta is not a small local chain. It has 50 stores in Texas and almost 20 huge liquor stores. But, the kicker is that Fiesta is owned by Grocers Supply, the largest wholesale grocery supplier in the Southwest (according to Wikipedia).It did $3.2 Billion in business last year, making it the 5th biggest private company in Houston. If they really wanted to remain in the Heights, they could have purchased a lot further south on Studewood...right across the street from their warehouse. But, they didn't, so Kroger did.

The reality is likely that since the Heights demographic is changing away from Fiesta's target demographic, and business has been slow at that location, they decided to direct their efforts elsewhere. The Heights Census block is the only one in Houston to not only not grow in hispanic population, but to actually grow in Anglo population. There are better , more profitable locations for Fiesta.

EDIT: Great minds think alike. I see JJxvi was posting the same thing while I was typing.

Edited January 14, 2013 by RedScare

[west20th]

, the fact is that Fiesta on 14th is gone (no coincidence--why would Fiesta stick around to try to compete with Walmart).

The Fiesta on 14th is gone because Weingarten had a more profitable use for that property. Usually the simplest explanation is the correct one.

[samagon]

Don't count your traffic chickens before they have hatched. Walmart has only been open for less than three months. The rest of the development only has about a quarter of the pads open

That's close to disingenuous. Including Walmart, what's the percentage of total square footage vs leased?

[RedScare]

That's close to disingenuous. Including Walmart, what's the percentage of total square footage vs leased?

Actually, it is completely disingenuous. Recall that this poster has railed early and often at Walmart and Ainbinder for building a "suburban style" development. What he, and RUDH, proposed instead was a "mixed use" development, which would involve even more square footage of retail, with thousands of apartments sitting atop the retail. While the few thousand residents may be able to walk to the stores below, traffic from surrounding neighborhoods would still clog the streets. Added to that traffic of course, would be the residents of the apartments who would drive to work elsewhere.

And, he didn't stop there. In this thread...

http://www.houstonar...ariance-notice/

...he expresses his preference for more mixed use, with hundreds of apartments atop a retail ground floor. Again, this would draw more traffic to Yale Street, a consequence he claims to abhor. Either he is using imagined traffic nightmares in his argument (still) against the already completed Walmart,while simultaneously ignoring his own proposed traffic armageddon, or he really isn't that concerned about traffic on a four lane thoroughfare at all. My guess is that he, like I, isn't that worried about traffic on Yale.

Edited January 15, 2013 by RedScare

[fwki]

The general traffic pattern in the Heights changed due to population shifts, not business locations, and of course the obvious infrastructure changes. Ten years ago and earlier, we had a sleepy little neighborhood that didn't even wake up until noon on weekends. During the week we had moderate traffic and some hustle and bustle, but on weekends my then-little kids owned the streets on bikes and skateboards, it was peaceful. Football and softball in the streets went barely interrupted. When I visited freinds in the burbs I noted the complete opposite pattern. Now the weekends are crazier than the weekdays with tourists driving about lost and newcomers excited to do their suburban thing shopping and going out for coffee and lunch. The Great Influx occurred when suburbia emptied its bowels into the Heights, and that's what changed the traffic, not business locations.

[SilverJK]

I thought this walmart was just to hurt target, and wasn't actually needed... but now it draws a huge crowd?

I know that none of us (Aside from MarkSMU, he risks it often) are bothered by the increase of traffic on Yale, because we are too afraid to risk our family's lives on the bridge of death.

[s3mh]

I thought this walmart was just to hurt target, and wasn't actually needed... but now it draws a huge crowd?

I have already admitted that, so far, I am surprised at how weak the crowds are at Walmart. I have scoped out the parking lot several times on weekends and evenings when it should be packed and have seen about the same number of cars I would see at Whole Foods or Kroger and generally less than I see at Target. But, as I also said previously, it has just been open for barely two months and few of the other pads are open. Things could change. But, if this is as much business as this Walmart is going to get, it will take over a decade for them to break even over the huge pile of money they paid for the land. Given the lukewarm response to the store so far and the extreme need for multifamily properties inside the loop, it is definitely fair to say that the 6 mil spent on this was money wasted and just went to help Walmart dillute Target's market share. I would not be surprised if Houstonians were referred to as "suckers" in Bentonville when discussing this Walmart and the tax deal.

[JJxvi]

Ainbender is in Bentonville?

[RedScare]

He never gives up, does he? And, he wonders why we mock him so.

[TGM]

I have already admitted that, so far, I am surprised at how weak the crowds are at Walmart. I have scoped out the parking lot several times on weekends and evenings when it should be packed and have seen about the same number of cars I would see at Whole Foods or Kroger and generally less than I see at Target.

Bollocks. I have a hard time believing that you are performing recon in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I will now have keep an eye out for a fellow with a pair of Bushnell bi-nocs parked way out in employee parking land.

My last visit to the Heights Wal-Mart had me waiting for a primo space up front for over 2 minutes while bubba searched for his lighter to light one up before backing out. On the way out the parking lot 3/4 full.

So much for tales of tumbleweeds blowing around at Heights Wal-Mart.

[fwki]

And at midnite on the last day of the month, it's packed with rescue dog parents who also have to pay for antiquities maintenance.

[RedScare]

You know, when you spend 2 years predicting gridlock and traffic armageddon, what do you say when it does not materialize? Well, you claim the crowds are weak, of course. The Walmart parking lot looks to be as full as any other. It's simply hard for some people to admit that their imagined traffic gridlock does not occur in real life. Now that the gridlock has not materialized at Walmart, the frightened masses have moved on to the condos off of White Oak and the apartments on Yale. They will be wrong there as well...and the City traffic engineers know this...but that will not stop the hue and cry.

[fwki]

Don't forget their favorite red herring:

The chicken little cries of bridge collapse armageddon are way overblown. Everyone knows that plastic crap from China doesn't weigh much. That's why it is so cheap. Those Walmart semis are not exceeding the weight limit because Chinese crap doesn't weigh enough. School buses with elementary school children on the other hand...

[Leonard]

The City approved a Traffic Impact Analysis for the development with "F" intersections - not sure what the City traffic engineers "know".

The Yale Street Bridge's extreme restrictions might have had an impact on the amount of traffic on Yale.

We, as citizens, should request that the City pay off Ainbiner via the installment plan in the 380. We will be able to request the amounts paid and can compare the acutal sales and property tax generated by the whole development to those projected instead of judging how well the Walmart is doing by how long someone is willing to wait for an up front space.

[samagon]

Bollocks. I have a hard time believing that you are performing recon in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I will now have keep an eye out for a fellow with a pair of Bushnell bi-nocs parked way out in employee parking land.

My last visit to the Heights Wal-Mart had me waiting for a primo space up front for over 2 minutes while bubba searched for his lighter to light one up before backing out. On the way out the parking lot 3/4 full.

So much for tales of tumbleweeds blowing around at Heights Wal-Mart.

I think it's a double blind.

The traffic problems and other issues that haven't materialized as the rudh had screamed about is bad. Now they can't say "see!!! traffic!!! murders!!! dead puppies!!!" so they and their cronies are being tricky. They know the heart of a man likes to shop somewhere that there isn't a lot of commotion, they can park a few steps away from the entrance, go in, grab their goods, stand in a short line and leave quickly. So they are trying to fulfill a prophecy. If you tell people the place is empty, more people will show up.

This should show you how desperate they are, that they are willing to watch their arch enemy succeed, just so they can try to score a smugness victory.

[RedScare]

The City approved a Traffic Impact Analysis for the development with "F" intersections - not sure what the City traffic engineers "know".

The Yale Street Bridge's extreme restrictions might have had an impact on the amount of traffic on Yale.

The traffic engineers approved the intersections, and no traffic problems occurred. I think that shows they know plenty. As for the Yale Bridge of Death restrictions, I seem to recall RUDH giddily posting photos showing that people were ignoring the restrictions. Therefore, it likely had no impact on traffic. Besides, if the restrictions DID have an impact, doesn't that show that the restrictions worked? Recalling that RUDH claimed that nothing short of cancelling the development would save us from traffic gridlock and dead children on school buses, today's reality shows that all of RUDH's claims were wrong. All of them.

[Leonard]

Some people are following the restrictions, some are not. Not sure why you think it would be all or nothing on this particular law. I think most people realize that some people follow laws and some don't. You'd think a defense attorney would be able to figure that one out.

[RedScare]

So, you are conceding that RUDH's ridiculously draconian solution of canceling the Ainbinder and Walmart development was unnecessary? Since your restrictions worked, everything is OK, right?

[fwki]

Walmart is following the restrictions but I have no idea how they keep stocking those shelves since we all know those trucks have no other route.

[Leonard]

They aren't "my" restrictions, they are TxDOT's. And yes, I do think the 3,000 lb/axle limit is keeping some people off the bridge, don't you? For example, Walmart delivery trucks? But I also think that the load limits are violated many times per hour. I'm not simple enough to think that the load limits are either a) keeping all over limit traffic off the bridge or keeping no over limit traffic off the bridge. So, are the restrictions working? No, not completely.

My main issue with the development is and has always been the 380. According to statements made in the City Council meeting on the 380 by the Mayor, they would build with or without the 380. They should have built it without the 380.

[RedScare]

My main issue with the development is and has always been the 380. According to statements made in the City Council meeting on the 380 by the Mayor, they would build with or without the 380. They should have built it without the 380.

Saturday, I had to make a stop at Walmart to pick up some cleaning supplies. I then drove down the new feeder road and stopped at Kroger for a few groceries. Because Walmart and Kroger did not have the dog poop scooper that I needed, I got back on the new feeder and drove to Petsmart. I then drove home and cleaned dog poop from my yard. While enjoying the 70 degree weather, I thought about how a few of my neighbors had opposed building the Walmart, the new feeder road, and the Kroger that had made my errands so easy to complete. It also occurred to me why there were so few people opposed to the 380s, the Walmart, Kroger, and feeder roads. The reason is because those things made my life incrementally easier, while opposing those things would provide me no benefit.

The point here is that you opposed these things for esoteric reasons. I long ago decided that opposing things for esoteric reasons was rather ignorant. So have most other people. You are free to do so, but the rest of us shrug our shoulders at you. I find that even cleaning dog poop from my yard was a better use of my time than opposing Walmarts and 380s. You apparently believe otherwise, which is of course, your right.

[Leonard]

I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish with your time at this point, but I'm glad you finally cleaned up your lawn.

I don't think that opposing spending $6M plus unknown and uncapped interest of public monies on something a private entity should have paid for is all that hard to understand.

[JJxvi]

What things were paid for that should have been paid for by the private entity? My understanding of 380's is that they involve the private entity paying for things that the PUBLIC should pay for and then getting paid back by the public later. No doubt I am just confuzzled.

[Leonard]

Jjxvi, connecting to the sanitary sewer is one item.

There are different options that the developer has for paying for sewer lines - the developer can pay for 100% of the sewer and the the city can charge others to connect to the sewer and give that money back to the developer. With City Council approval, the developer can pay 100% of the design cost and the City pay 30% of the construction cost. If it's for new single family homes, the City, with Council approval, will pay 100% of the design and 70% of the construction costs. The City can pay 100% of the design and 50% of the construction costs up to $25K and charge others for connecting and give that back to the developer. Another option is for the developer to simply wait until the City is going to construct a new sewer line - in this case, the City had no plans to construct the sewer. They could have gotten part of the sewer paid for without the 380, but not all of it. I don't know if they would pay the developer for any interest incurred on any loans to construct the sewer using the traditional methods.

Developers are often required to pay for traffic mitigation - signals, turn lanes and road widening. The developer's TIA was done after the 380 passed, therefore it was not "required" in the TIA but more "assumed" it would exist.

The $308K in the 380 for onsite detention is private, not public. Even though they did not do this, the 380 allowed for the public to pay for private detention.

Sidewalks and trees are required by the City.

The City isn't required to pay for a road a developer wants to build, or to pay them back for a City owned alley.

[RedScare]

The $308K in the 380 for onsite detention is private, not public. Even though they did not do this, the 380 allowed for the public to pay for private detention.

So, the 380 did not in fact cost the City $6 million, even though you continue to use that number? I recall pointing this out previously, and you insisting that all $6 million would be spent, but this is clearly another item that did not get built. Sounds like you just conveniently use the $6 million figure because you do not want to admit that it cost much less.

[Leonard]

Red, hopefully RUDH or someone else will find out exactly what was spent and on what.

The 380 also called for $200K for a light at Koehler and for resurfacing both bridges. This wasn't done either. Yes, I use $6M because it's convienent. The total of the Exhibit C is 6,046,785. The language in the 380 caps it at 6,050,000, thanks to RUDH and others. Interest is on top of that.

At this point in time, I don't know the total spent or the interest rate.

[SilverJK]

At this point in time, I don't know the total spent or the interest rate.

Mayhaps you should say "up to 6 million" then instead of making it seem they spend the entire amount...

[Leonard]

At this point in time, I don't know the total spent or the interest rate. I'm comfortable with saying $6M plus unknown and uncapped interest.