Oh! So much to respond to on this topic, I barely know where to start! OF COURSE DEMOGRAPHICS FACTORED INTO KOWALSKI'S DECISION! And as Tom B. pointed out, the demographics aren't good right now. In fact, one of the consultants that Whittier, Stevens Square and Loring Park hired to help come up with a marketing strategy to attract developers to Nicollet Avenue's development opportunities, said, 'the number of supportive housing facilities in this area makes it appear that it is treated with LESS CIVIC DISREGARD than other areas of town' (not an exact quote).
Turtle Bread Company, as a small company with an owner that has other goals and interests than simply his bottom line, is more likely to see its investment as part of neighborhood improvement. I doubt that Kowalski's runs on the same values. (Nothing against them, they are bigger and not as historically tied to the neighborhood in which 1800 Nicollet is located. They may be more willing to take a financial hit at their home store on Grand Ave in St. Paul.) Barbara Nelson mentions the success of Riverside Market in my neighborhood of Seward. Every third check in our family's checkbook is made out to Riverside Market -- so we use them a lot. Again, the local market play a huge role in their success. Their market is a mix of better-off homeowners looking for a quick trip AND the residents (400+?) of several high rise apartments that are directly across the street. Cara Letofsky Seward Gregory Luce wrote: > Yeah, give us a break. If this area is so daunting, I guess the > Turtle Bread Company is baking up a bad batch of development by > getting the exclusive rights to develop the SW corner of Franklin and > Nicollet: > > >http://www.swjournal.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/April/15-2900-neighbor03.txt > > > > Hmmmm, I seem to remember that Turtle Bread had threatened to pull out > of the project at one time if Lydia House went forward. Seems things > have changed. > > Gregory Luce > Project 504/Minneapolis (North Phillips) > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> Of course demographics play a role in the siting and success of >> groceries >> and other businesses, and the demographics for this area are >> daunting. The >> infamous Lydia House project site is 1/2 block from the store that is >> closing. Currently, within 1/4 mile of Lydia House, 28% of the >> residential >> population is disabled and in special housing that requires on-site >> supervision. >> > > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
