02/11/1997 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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the customer does have that choice. When a quality merchant is introduced into a community, even if they unfomanately drive out some conaperition, the fact of the matter is that the community is ultimately healthier for the better quality of service and product. Mr. Cahill and the audience disagreed. (The developer went on talking but it was not audible.) He stated that there are other issues to be dealt with which they are hearing about tonight and they will be addressing those too (not completely audible). Mr. Cahill stated that there are about four really good hardware stores in this area; Ingersoll's, Coleman, and couple more including Sears. These people have been around for 30 or 40 years. He stated that Ingersoll's moved to North Olmsted about 10 years ago, and are doing a good business, eveiything is reasonably priced, they handle things that other stores do not carry. They have personalized service which a customer will not get in a big store. In any of these large development stores, the people are not kuowledgeable about their products, it drives the professional out of his mind, since a clerk says "Lets check the back of the can, and then we can read it together". People do not want that. ( Several people were tallcing at one time). Chairman Tallon asked that they keep the questions to the point at hand, they should not be discussing whether this clerk is better than that clerk. Keep the discussion to the rezoning. Regarding the ownership of the bu.ilding, Mr. Cahill stated that he was told that the bu.ilding would be a company asset, but he noted that when a company went "belly up", the building would be a company write-off, so it is not a strong point to say that they are going to own the building. That will not make it any better than somebody else does. One of the developers responded that this is still an asset, it would still have a value in the market place, it might not the original intended putpose for the bu.ilding, but there would be a re-use for that facility. Mr. Cahill responded that the re-use would be by somebody else, if by chance, it was sold to some body else. Home Depot would not put another "build.iug" in their own building. The developer responded that Wal-Mart which has about 100 and something million square feet of retail space around the United States and we talk about gigantic numbers, it is important to note that they have about 12 million square feet of space that is vacant and that is down from 16 or 18 million square feet. They are always trying to re-deploy their assets, so when they move out of an 8,000 square foot store and consolidate with a 10,000 square foot store, the store they leave behind -is an asset that they are going to exploit. He attended a meeting where the vice president of real estate board of Wal-Mart explained the process, explained the strategy, and said it was a corporate goal to re- deploy all assets that are no longer being used for the main retail thrust. Home Depot is the same kind of corporation, they will not waste an asset. W. Cahill stated that he wanted to make the point that he was against this store going into the entire City of North Olmsted. Ms. K. Collins, who had spoken before, had some questions. She noted that the developers had mentioned the programs for employees, and that they do not pay minimum wage. She asked what this store is going to do for her and her neighbors, other than being an eyesore, causmg more traffic, and tearing up the roads, which have not been kept up since Wal Mart was bu.ilt. What were they going to do to make her living environment more pleasant than it, is. One of the developers stated that he did not work for Home Depot so he could not answer that. Chairman Tallon stated that these are hired experts, in their own fields. Mrs. Schuler, a member of Colebrook Condominium Association, stated that their whole street was against this. She stated that their whole area has been abused by retaiL She stated that they are right next to Wal Mart and* are enduring vandalism. Retail brings in vandalism They have just had to put in a $5,000.00 fence. They had fought for the brick wall that was installed between Wa1 Mart and their property, which helped as far as looks, but because the whole area was cleared they have gangs of kids running through their area from Brookpark to Country Club Boulevard. The fence was installed because it was a dangerous situation. Now they are breaking the gas lights that are their only illumination, so they are now considering installing electric lights on the top of the building and removing the beautiful 12