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Growth: Southwood

cityboy05

By cityboy05
in Tallahassee

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TD Burg

TD

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Posted
Given today's national trends, I don't see things getting better anytime soon. We're talking about a very lazy generation of people from which I'm barely removed. Yet I don't see the property managers in the Southwood area allowing the type of destruction we see of many of the West Side apartment complexes. I completely understand your point behind them not clogging up your lanes at the Southwood Publix, Rachiroo. I remember during my time working there that was always a very nice, clean, peaceful store to shop and work at.
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laffin Crossroads

laffin

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Anybody have any updates on the groundbreaking for the new Chick-Fil-A at Southwood? The "coming soon" sign has been up for a few months now. How long does it typically take?

Also, I've heard more news that the Super Target is on its way. I am hearing late 2008 to early 2009 corner of Tram and CC SE. Can anyone confirm this?

It would be nice to get some good news out here in SW for a change.

If information on this has been posted recently, please point me to the appropriate post.

Thanks all.

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TD Burg

TD

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Anybody have any updates on the groundbreaking for the new Chick-Fil-A at Southwood? The "coming soon" sign has been up for a few months now. How long does it typically take?

Also, I've heard more news that the Super Target is on its way. I am hearing late 2008 to early 2009 corner of Tram and CC SE. Can anyone confirm this?

It would be nice to get some good news out here in SW for a change.

If information on this has been posted recently, please point me to the appropriate post.

Thanks all.

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poonther Town

poonther

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SWR great point about St Joe hurting the Town Center w/all the retail on the periphery of the development. I've often thought that very same thing in the past. Just think how busy Town Center would have been if it landed the Publix?

And your coffee-shop comparison is a good one too. As a non-Southwooder, why would I drive into the development for a cup of joe, when I can get it more conveniently to me via Starbucks on the outside of the development.

However I think your best idea is having St. Joe contract professional management to run the Town Center especially if they were still going to do the full Town Center as promised. It seems to me that St Joe hurt the Town Center idea themselves and then they just quickly and easily gave up on the idea and went for the quick and easy money grab fix (the selling of the land for apts.)

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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SwR,

Thanks for that post. As the days go by it becomes easier for me to understand your situation.

I worked a short while at Cafe Huston's and I remember thinking there were items on the menu that were great. I haven't eaten there since I left that job (which probably goes to prove your point that this is not the type of place one drives out of their way for) but I thought it was an awesome place to have in the middle of the restaurant. Some of my favorites on the Cafe Huston's Menu, Their Cowboy Burger, Chicken Salad sandwich, Chicken Caesar Pizza, and Chocolate-Cranberry Cookies.

I think the idea of having the Publix in the Town Center rather than in a nearby strip center would have made for a very solid project. Too bad this wasn't suggested to them in the beginning.

If what you say about St. Joe's ongoing attitude toward the Town Center is true, why did they propose one in the first place? If I'm going to propose something, as a developer I'm going to try my best to follow through.

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Go Gators Burg

Go Gators

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SWR great point about St Joe hurting the Town Center w/all the retail on the periphery of the development. I've often thought that very same thing in the past. Just think how busy Town Center would have been if it landed the Publix?

And your coffee-shop comparison is a good one too. As a non-Southwooder, why would I drive into the development for a cup of joe, when I can get it more conveniently to me via Starbucks on the outside of the development.

However I think your best idea is having St. Joe contract professional management to run the Town Center especially if they were still going to do the full Town Center as promised. It seems to me that St Joe hurt the Town Center idea themselves and then they just quickly and easily gave up on the idea and went for the quick and easy money grab fix (the selling of the land for apts.)

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SouthwoodResident Unincorporated Area

SouthwoodResident

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No doubt having the Publix in the Towne Center would have been a great thing. I think the village center at Baldwin Park in Orlando is a good model for Southwood (because Celebration's isnt realistic). They have a Publix, CVS, doctors, CPA's, bankers, restaurants, etc. There's no need for its residents to stop by anywhere on the way home, because they can get it and not have to leave their neighborhood to do it, and its so close to many other neighborhoods, that its competes with other retail/restaurants on Colonial for non-Baldwin Park residents.

http://www.baldwinparkfl.com/web/village.asp

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SouthwoodResident Unincorporated Area

SouthwoodResident

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SwR,

I worked a short while at Cafe Huston's and I remember thinking there were items on the menu that were great. I haven't eaten there since I left that job (which probably goes to prove your point that this is not the type of place one drives out of their way for) but I thought it was an awesome place to have in the middle of the restaurant. Some of my favorites on the Cafe Huston's Menu, Their Cowboy Burger, Chicken Salad sandwich, Chicken Caesar Pizza, and Chocolate-Cranberry Cookies.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Don't misunderstand me. I went to Houstons fairly often when it first opened, but there hasn't been much change to the menu since it opened. It's good for what it is, but it just isn't much. There should have been an effort to add seasonal food to the menu, in addition to keeping the strong sellers. It could have been the kind of place you'd go to because you knew there would be something interesting on the menu. Notrhing much ever changed there, and it got old. Even McDonalds/Wendys or Dominos/Pizza Hut (or the Subway across the street from Hustons) change up their menus routinely. NOT that those are examples of what should be in the Town Center, but Hustons is basically burgers/pizza/sandwiches.
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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Why not put the Publix in the town center and allow Sembler or whomever is to bring the Super Target and Lowes, to buy the current Publix shopping center? The town center could work if it were planned properly. I never understood the rush to put the Publix where they did from the beginning.

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SouthwoodResident Unincorporated Area

SouthwoodResident

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Why not put the Publix in the town center and allow Sembler or whomever is to bring the Super Target and Lowes, to buy the current Publix shopping center? The town center could work if it were planned properly. I never understood the rush to put the Publix where they did from the beginning.
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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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I think Publix probably would think they've already spent the money and built their Southwood store. The rush likely came from the fact that prospective Southwood homeowner's didn't have a nearby grocery store.

I agree that the Town Center could work if it were properly planned. That's what we all expected to see. Instead, St. Joe says the Town Center DESIGNED BY THEM won't work and so we're getting a huge apartment complex with a small increase in retail space.

St. Joe has no expertise in operating retail. They've contracted out the retail operations in other developments. Maybe they can't get anyone who knows what they're doing to take on the Southwood Town Center but I think that's not a likely explanation. I think it's more likely that St. Joe wants to wrap up the Southwood project as soon as possible, and focus on their developments to the west along the gulf, near the Watercolor/Watersound area, and their land surrounding the new International Airport being built on land they owned.

I admit I hope that I'm wrong and that St. Joe will decide to complete the Southwood project as it was planned and sold (and approved by the City of Tallahassee) but it'll be an about-face on their part for that to happen. They've given no indication that they intend to pay attention to any of the resident's concerns about the new direction of the development.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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In theory... the tenants could move to the town center as well. The 45,000 sq.ft. Publix occupies is far too small for either store mentioned, unless they're doing a scaled down version, which I think they should considering the distance the Target on the Parkway is from this location. Lowes would not work for this plaza, the space is too small.

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