Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.

[RedScare]

Maybe a lawsuit should have been filed over this.

[west20th]

Wow, this is shocking news! Why are we just now hearing about this! We should have started a facebook page about this...or something!

By the way, that Kroger is STILL the best Kroger in the area. Much hotter chicks than the one on 11th.

 

Yeah but it doesn't have a cool name yet like the "Disco" Kroger. My favorite name is the "Cougar" Kroger for the W.Gray store.

[RedScare]

Actually, it is called Party Kroger, in deference to the party stores, but it has not caught on that well yet. 

[kylejack]

That Kroger is awful and I think the product lineup was selected by some number cruncher in Cincinnati. Seems like they only considered demographics for immediate area rather than things like, for example, that the Kroger on 20th Street is dry. The Studemont Kroger should have good beer selection, but doesn't.

Edited May 15, 2013 by kylejack

[RedScare]

Well, they must have considered a little bit of the demographic, since I live nearby and it is my favorite Kroger.

[kylejack]

Other than the expensive Midtown Randall's and the niche Phoenicia, Studemont Kroger is my closest grocery store. I'll go if I'm nearby, but otherwise I like the HEB Montrose.

[s3mh]

As for the rest of the "it would have been built anyway" I pretty much agree.  But unfortunately there was a very vocal minority of folks in the area that thought it would be a good idea to frame their anti-WalMart message into an argument over aesthetics, infrastructure inadequacies, traffic pattern problems, that made getting this money from the city the politically expedient way to get a high dollar development the city wanted built to get done.

 

This was a low dollar development.  In fact, I cannot think of a lesser use of the land than what they did with it.  The Ainbinder development eliminated housing (the new apartments next to the railroad tracks will be a net gain of about 100 units over some 30 acres between Orr, Ainbinder and the SJ Stone/Yale St. Market development).  There is more sq ft dedicated to parking than to retail sq ft.  It is the lowest tax generating use of the property that could be imagined. 

 

The justification for giving tax dollars to aid the richest retailer in the world was that the City would be able to deliver a better project and that the area really needed a retailer like Walmart.  As the unsolicited comment verifies, the area did not need Walmart.  And the public infrastructure improvements ended up full of short cuts and half-assed designs, while ingoring the one major improvement (yale st bridge). 

[Leonard]

They were supposed to start putting the carbon strips on the Yale Street Bridge.  Anyone know if they've started yet?

[west20th]

That Kroger is awful and I think the product lineup was selected by some number cruncher in Cincinnati. Seems like they only considered demographics for immediate area rather than things like, for example, that the Kroger on 20th Street is dry. The Studemont Kroger should have good beer selection, but doesn't.

 

Ah, the Kroger on 20th. The "Zombie" Kroger. A place you can go and actually witness a check being written for groceries. All kidding aside, I hope this one survives. It will be a sad day for the old(er) folks that go there if it closes.

[Jesse]

Ah, the Kroger on 20th. The "Zombie" Kroger. A place you can go and actually witness a check being written for groceries. All kidding aside, I hope this one survives. It will be a sad day for the old(er) folks that go there if it closes.

 

They just finished a number of upgrades, so I'm guessing it's sticking around for a while.  They actually improved the produce section quite a bit, reorganized the store, changed the front entrance, and slapped a fresh coat of paint on it.  It's not my primary store although it's the closest one to me, but it is definitely improved. 

[Leonard]

Here's Peter Brown's, aka Pedestrian Pete, take on the Walmart:

 

http://pedestrianpete.com/2013/05/20/development-in-the-heights-full-video/

 

"absolute squandering of public monies!"  exactly right, Pedestrian Pete. 

 

 

[RedScare]

If one must use Peter Brown in support of an argument, the argument has failed.

[Leonard]

It saves a lot of time having an opinion of the video without watching it. 

[RedScare]

Some of us have lived here a long time, and are well aware of Peter Brown's opinions. I needn't watch his video to know what he is saying...and why you like it.

 

There is a reason he was thoroughly beaten in the mayor's race.

[s3mh]

If one must use Peter Brown in support of an argument, the argument has failed.

 

If one can only make an ad hominen attack in response to a good argument . . .

[SilverJK]

*insert s3mh - Leonard high fiving each other*

 

smh.

 

Walmart and Ainbinder are not synonymous... but nobody seems to care about that.

[RedScare]

*insert s3mh - Leonard high fiving each other*

 

smh.

 

Walmart and Ainbinder are not synonymous... but nobody seems to care about that.

 

Because the real enemy is Walmart, not Ainbinder. In order to attack Walmart, they must ignore what really happened. Not that it matters. The battle is over, Walmart is built and open, and most Heights residents shop there...whether they admit it or not. Same goes for Kroger. In fact, most of us like the improvements.

 

Next faux outrage, please.

[Leonard]

The real enemy is the administration that gave $6M to benefit Walmart. 

[RedScare]

I am glad they did it. That couple of blocks looks a lot better, and is now tax income producing property. And, I shop at the Walmart from time to time. I think it is a winner, regardless what Peter Brown thinks.

[Leonard]

They said they would have built it with or without spending $6M of taxpayer's money. 

 

We did not get anything of value for the money. 

[RedScare]

You've said this over and over. I have repeated that I like the development, as well as the expenditure by the City improving the infrastructure. Saying it again will not change my mind, nor any of the others who have expressed approval of the development. Only the few dozen residents who griped at the beginning still care. The rest of us approve.

 

No, really, we approve of the Walmart, the development, and the rebuilt infrastructure paid by the 360. Really. I'm not kidding!

[Leonard]

I never thought I could change your mind about anything.  I know you like the development, and I know you think it's great for the City to pay for a sidewalk that goes from nowhere to nowhere.  I know you think it's great that the City paid over $140K to paint and put lights on a bridge that can't carry commercial traffic and is slated for demolition.  I know you think the jogging trail to nowhere and the crosswalks to nowhere are sound infrastructure decisions.  I know you think 10% interest is a good deal. 

 

I thought people might want to see the video. 

[SilverJK]

yeah, the real enemy is the administration that hammered the Historic Districts through!   wait... nevermind.

[Ross]

The real enemy is the administration that gave $6M to benefit Walmart.

For the last time, the City did not give six million dollars to WalMart. That is a total misrepresentation. WalMart and Ainbinder agreed to spend the money and be reimbursed over time. The City is the beneficiary not the developers.

[Leonard]

The City is reimbursing Ainbinder for money Ainbinder spent.  The money spent primarily benefits Walmart, however Walmart did not agree to spend any money under the 380.  Walmart is not a party to the 380, they just benefit from it. 

 

Whether or not Ainbinder will be reimbursed in a lump sum or over time has yet to be determined.

 

I stand by my statement that the money benefits Walmart. 

 

 

[RedScare]

For the last time, the City did not give six million dollars to WalMart. That is a total misrepresentation. WalMart and Ainbinder agreed to spend the money and be reimbursed over time. The City is the beneficiary not the developers.

 

Ross, it won't be the last time. They will continue to misrepresent this issue.

[Leonard]

It's not a misrepresentation.  The infrastructure mostly benefits Walmart. 

[RedScare]

It benefits me as well.

[SilverJK]

won't we just be paying them back with their own money?  (reminds me of a Teddy KGB moment in Rounders...)

Edited May 20, 2013 by SilverJK

[Leonard]

How is it their money?