What's Up With Walgreens???

Walgreens agreed to build 2 small retail  buildings on their property where Jim Keil used to be. That was a "condition" of approval for the drug store. Then, Walgreens approached Grass Valley and tried to get out of the 2 building thing. Bad economy, couldn't find any tenants in this economy, etc. GV held tough, and Walgreens seemed to accept that. But, have you seen the eyesore that is the Walgreens-under-construction? They've stopped working on the building. And this is the GOOD weather. So, what's going on? Come in please, Dan Holler! Is Walgreens playing hardball? Forcing Grass Valley to be stuck with an unfinished slab in the middle of Brunswick Basin? (Not exactly a beautiful place, anyway.) Weird. Does anyone know what's going on?

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And my 2 cents on balancing Nevada City's budget. One of the "city yards" is on Boulder Street, facing Deer Creek! Hello! Prime real estate!! Not the best location for a city yard filled with unsightly equipment.

Comments

[Steve]

Jim... you are CORRECT! The issue with the Highlands project is its really, really bad design. The bad design is the problem, not density. The project is the poster child for what not to do. The Highlands gives small unit, high density a bad name.

The location was great for infill, high density. A few folks took the time to attend the city meetings when the project was under review and approval to voice concerns about the bad design.

But as usual those at city hall failed to listen and approved a really bad project design and wasted the opportunity to do a good project. The city planning staff recommend and supported the bad design. They need to wake up and do a much better job in the future.

Citizens Bank loaned a lot of money on this bad project and is now the "owner" of the project.

Visit the website for "The Cottage Company" if you want to see what small unit, high density looks like when it is done right.

Will the planning staff and decision makers at city hall in Grass Valley ever listen? Will they ever learn from their mistakes?

[jim]

Russ - as usual you miss the mark. The Highlands project was designed about as well as a "skinner box." Small well designed homes close to town and services would be purchased. Most of the poorly designed projects laying fallow at City Hall are a joke. The developers seldom wanted to follow "smart growth" principles - and City Hall would bend and approve bad projects.

[Russ Steele]

Steve writes;

"Plus consider that we have over 400+ units of new housing approved and not yet built within the City already. Where's the need?"

Yep, 400 units that under the city's planning constraints do not pencil out, fewer units, more open space, more street improvement, etc, etc. No contractor is going to build house that he has to subsidize. That is not their business. On the other hand high density housing projects, with close nit infrastructure has a better change of penciling our.

But, then again is it is hard to sell rabbit hutches for people live in. Can anyone say Highlands.

[Steve]

The big time Walgreens developers (from Chicago) have other projects, in other towns that they are moving forward with. So what's up here?

Here they seem to have big problems, mostly based on the fact thet they really over paid by spending 6 million for the land. They are now asking the City to bail them out and want to City (taxpayers) to provide money for their needed/required road/intersection improvements.

This is sad considering 100's of community members made the effort to come forward at the City hearings when the proposed Walgreens project was being reviewed and the original approval was applealed (the original approved project was super ugly).

Citizens asked the City Council to have the Walgreens develpers design and build a respectful, better project, one that was at least as nice as ones built in some other towns.

But some on the City Council caved in and sold out the community and approved a low quality project design on this very important corner. The City supported the Chicago developer over the desires and pleas of the community for a better design.

The Chicago developers said they would use local folks to build it if the ugly project was approved. But SUPRISE!... they failed to use locals to do the work.

Now they (Interra Vision) have stalled construction and want money from the City (taxpayers). Some folks warned the City about these guys. Too bad some on the Council failed to listen to the citizens of this town.

It's a lot like what some at City hall are doing to help the southern California developer to cut in line to develop the Barriman Ranch property below K-Mart.

Per the General Plan and adopted annexation plan the Barriman Ranch property is not to be considered for development until 2016 at the earlist. So why are some at City Hall helping these southern California developers to "cut in line"?

Plus consider that we have over 400+ units of new housing approved and not yet built within the City already. Where's the need?

The real question is who is pulling what strings at City Hall?