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All this talk of a big national chain in the Midway has been going on while an equally problematic big national chain is preparing to launch into the same neighborhood. CVS is the largest retail pharmacy in the country, larger than Walgrens, as I understand it. They are eyeing the corner of Snelling and University Ave. where the tiny/closed/architecturally inappropriate Dakota Bank building is located. They plan to demolish the neighboring furniture store and fill the entire lot with something. Unfortunately, most of that something is a parking lot. The corner of Snelling and University has more visitors (bus and car) than any other intersection in Saint Paul. Probably if you have been to Saint Paul, you have been to Snelling and University. Efforts to revitalize University Ave. have included a vision of this area becoming an anchor building that would give a genuine sense of place... a specific place. A Saint Paul place. That is not what CVS has in mind for us. They worked very secretly during the early phases of planning and only now that site plans are done have they let the community in on the process. What they want to dump on us is a suburban style one story building with a solid windowless, door less wall facing University Avenue and another solid, windowless, doorless wall facing Snelling. The building entrance will be off their large parking lot. Much of the parking lot will front along Snelling. They will plant a couple of trees. Despite numerous efforts by the commuity to meet with CVS, they have not responded. Their attorney did attend the University United Board meeting and I understand his message to the citizens was, 'CVS builds one story buildings with drive throughs. That is what we do.' Yesterday afternoon there was a design charette hosted by a number of commuity groups including University United. It was gloriously well attended. In addition to community members, Council member Jay Benanav and his aide were present as were TWO council members from Minneapolis. Apparently CVS is planning similar dump jobs on the other side of the river. CVS was invited to the meeting but declined. All you have to do to recogize the long term impact of insensitive architecture is to consider SpruceTree (Da Green Monster) or, on the other side of University, the 1 story doctor's building. Once poor design is in place, it is decades, if ever, before it can be fixed. Right now is a marvelous opportunity to do it right. Please check out the University United website for much more detailed information. http://www.universityunited.com/ Jeanne Weigum Living in Merriam Park, officeing on University Ave. -- Jeanne Weigum 651-646-3005 fax 651-646-0142 _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract
