Major Developments

[csmurphy8885]

yes, collegiate sports and random concerts in a poor arena just isnt enough!

[poonther]

Just posting a bad example of architectural styling in the city...there are so many. Today I drove past the new Walgreens going up at the corner of Micc. and Magnolia across from TMH. I assume this Walgreens may replace the old one on the Parkway?? Anyway they are going to make this new Walgreens all red red brick from what I can tell from the work currently done. Yeah I don't like brick but that's not the point. The point is that the big ole hospital is white concrete/stucco and that is what materials they should have used w/this Walgreens. Just like the Walgreens at John Knox/Monroe or out on T'ville road across from the Fresh Market/SteinMart. It would have fit in w/the surroundings much better. You have the Suntrust bank at the other corner and it's brick but it's a dark almost purple brownish brick. Then at the other corner you have those little bldgs. w/Midtown cafe which look much like the hospital. Then you have this giant super duper red brick bldg. like the new Walgreens out in South Ga. at Bannerman and T'ville. That red brick Walgreens goes good w/the South GA surroundings but at this corner it should have been white to blend in w/the hospital. The area now is going to look even more like a tacky hodge-podge.

What this city needs is a Community Appearance Board to review things like this to make sure they blend well w/the surroundings and also include signage permitting at this step cause man we've got awful signage in this city.

Two more examples (there are tons) of this type of review needed are these tacky tacky metal bldgs. going up on major streets. One I've always hated since it was built about 5/6 years ago is the B&B sporting goods bldg. on Tenn. near Magnolia. How did that warehouse get built on such prime property. The other example of this is Gold's Gym warehouse on Capital Circle NE w/the Killearn liquor store in it. Again a tacky warehouse on prime visual land. Neither of these warehouse are that old either.

How does this tacky crap get built in a city that prides itself on "higher standards" permit reviews?????

[Florida]

Just posting a bad example of architectural styling in the city...there are so many. Today I drove past the new Walgreens going up at the corner of Micc. and Magnolia across from TMH. I assume this Walgreens may replace the old one on the Parkway?? Anyway they are going to make this new Walgreens all red red brick from what I can tell from the work currently done. Yeah I don't like brick but that's not the point. The point is that the big ole hospital is white concrete/stucco and that is what materials they should have used w/this Walgreens. Just like the Walgreens at John Knox/Monroe or out on T'ville road across from the Fresh Market/SteinMart. It would have fit in w/the surroundings much better. You have the Suntrust bank at the other corner and it's brick but it's a dark almost purple brownish brick. Then at the other corner you have those little bldgs. w/Midtown cafe which look much like the hospital. Then you have this giant super duper red brick bldg. like the new Walgreens out in South Ga. at Bannerman and T'ville. That red brick Walgreens goes good w/the South GA surroundings but at this corner it should have been white to blend in w/the hospital. The area now is going to look even more like a tacky hodge-podge.

What this city needs is a Community Appearance Board to review things like this to make sure they blend well w/the surroundings and also include signage permitting at this step cause man we've got awful signage in this city.

Two more examples (there are tons) of this type of review needed are these tacky tacky metal bldgs. going up on major streets. One I've always hated since it was built about 5/6 years ago is the B&B sporting goods bldg. on Tenn. near Magnolia. How did that warehouse get built on such prime property. The other example of this is Gold's Gym warehouse on Capital Circle NE w/the Killearn liquor store in it. Again a tacky warehouse on prime visual land. Neither of these warehouse are that old either.

How does this tacky crap get built in a city that prides itself on "higher standards" permit reviews?????

Way to go Poonther!!! I absolutely second your opposition to the Metal buildings. They look like something you'd see on ol-MacDondald's farm, not on beautiful streets like ours. South Monroe, Lake Bradford and Pensacola-HWY 20 are plagued with them... something should be done.

I absolutely love the idea of a Community Appearance Review Board.

[thetoolman]

I would bet that the Walgreens developers considered the brick a big upgrade that they thought the community would love. I agree that they did not really consider the context. Of all places, that would have been a good one for a stucco drug store.

Or maybe TMH will add a brick facade to match their new neighbor!

[Florida]

TJ, See what you can find out from your friends at City Hall about a multi-story hotel being built up in the Bradfordville area. I've searched but been unable to come up with anything so far. There was a gentleman with Mad Dog Construction in our office earlier this morning & he stated they would be starting construction on this project within the next 4-6 months but said he couldn't elaborate on any other details. He also stated that his company had enough commercial development work booked for this area to last them 10+ years even if they didn't get another contract anytime soon. I Love It but want to know more!

Not quite a hotel but a neat little office building going up in that area.

[csmurphy8885]

yes, a similar one in southwood? I saw the crane... Wow the SW is nice.

[Florida]

It appears in addition to the New Dealerships being built by Tallahassee Dodge, Chrystler, Jeep, and Champion Chevrolet's new Service Center, Gem Mazda will soon be making news of its own. Store appears to have their artwork and site ready for a new store.

Has anyone noticed the new Wendy's on CCNW in front of Home Depot? I saw it the other day and could't believe it was finished. Or the new Sonics up at the Lake Jackson Publix? Yeah, its nearly done!!

Also, there is a new building where the old Courtesy Cars Dealerships used to be. One of many to come I'm assuming.

[TD]

Nice Updates, thanks

[psycuda]

Has anyone noticed the new Wendy's on CCNW in front of Home Depot? I saw it the other day and could't believe it was finished. Or the new Sonics up at the Lake Jackson Publix? Yeah, its nearly done!!

Now if there only was a Tim Horton's attached to the Wendy's out there, since there's no place to get a donut and a cup of coffee near my office. Since Wendys owns the company, you'd think they'd finally start building them in Florida.

[Florida]

It would be nice to have a donut shop over there. I'm surprised the area around the interstate isn't more developed. There seems to be alot of lost potential at that exit with all of the traffic it gets.

[poonther]

Once Cap. Circle NW is 6 laned, I see it as a boom town for retail!

There use to be a Tim Horton donut shop on Tyndall Parkway in Callaway, FL (Panama City) but it closed a few years ago. Tim Horton is owned by Wendy's? Wow, didn't it use to be a Canadian corporation?

[jpl02]

Once Cap. Circle NW is 6 laned, I see it as a boom town for retail!

There use to be a Tim Horton donut shop on Tyndall Parkway in Callaway, FL (Panama City) but it closed a few years ago. Tim Horton is owned by Wendy's? Wow, didn't it use to be a Canadian corporation?

Yep, Tim Horton's is Canadian born and bred. Wendy's bought it in 1995. I'd like to try one of them sometime.

[Florida]

How does Tim Horton stack up against Krispy Kreme?

[Glenn]

Wow, I didn't know Wendy's owned Tim Horton's....It would be great if we did get one down here!!!

Poonther, I never knew that there was one in Callaway or else I'd have gone to it when I was over that way.

Wonder where the next closest one would be to us? I'm only familiar with them from my travels up North in PA/OH/WV.

[poonther]

Wow, I didn't know Wendy's owned Tim Horton's....It would be great if we did get one down here!!!

Poonther, I never knew that there was one in Callaway or else I'd have gone to it when I was over that way.

Wonder where the next closest one would be to us? I'm only familiar with them from my travels up North in PA/OH/WV.

Glenn it was on Tyndall P'way between Cherry St. and Boat Race Rd on the southside of the road just across and down the road from the K-mart. It was there in the early to mid 90's I believe. I never ate there, but my parents did a lot and liked it. I always thought it was odd to have a Canadian donut shop in Callaway (well technically that side of the P'way is Parker.) There still is a donut shop there in that location, but now it's call Spudnuts...stupid name huh?

[thetoolman]

Wow, I didn't know Wendy's owned Tim Horton's....It would be great if we did get one down here!!!

Poonther, I never knew that there was one in Callaway or else I'd have gone to it when I was over that way.

Wonder where the next closest one would be to us? I'm only familiar with them from my travels up North in PA/OH/WV.

You guys make me reminisce about when I had to drive to Perry to get some Arby's....

[psycuda]

How does Tim Horton stack up against Krispy Kreme?

The donuts are comparable to Dunkin Donuts, but they also have soups and sandwiches. The coffee is addictive. Some say that crack is an additive, but that's just an urban legend.

[poonther]

Make way for the invasion:

New Wally-mart

If this one gets built and the one at Fallschase and they don't close the P'way store that will make 5 Stores in Leon and 7 in the metro. When is enough is enough? Wally-mart is a powerful company and they do their marketing studies well, so if their results say that Leon can support 5 stores and the Metro 7......What does that say exactly about our populace? Are we just a bunch of Big Box store drones hungry for what they feed us? Will we lose our unique identity to these Big Box national retailers? I mean some of the best places in town are local owned and operated and many of them are disappearing. So what in your opinion does this mean for our future, if anything?

P.S. I think population growth has a little to do w/this, but IMO that's not the true catalyst behind it.

[Florida]

Its a sad national reality. Tallahassee lags behind most Florida metros with regard to the number of WalMarts in the Metro, but we may lead with the number of WalMart stores in the core city itself. I too think its sad.

[psycuda]

Make way for the invasion:

New Wally-mart

If this one gets built and the one at Fallschase and they don't close the P'way store that will make 5 Stores in Leon and 7 in the metro. When is enough is enough? Wally-mart is a powerful company and they do their marketing studies well, so if their results say that Leon can support 5 stores and the Metro 7......What does that say exactly about our populace? Are we just a bunch of Big Box store drones hungry for what they feed us? Will we lose our unique identity to these Big Box national retailers? I mean some of the best places in town are local owned and operated and many of them are disappearing. So what in your opinion does this mean for our future, if anything?

P.S. I think population growth has a little to do w/this, but IMO that's not the true catalyst behind it.

Methinks that they want to get in before the good sites are gone forever (Sam's Redevelopment/Fallschase) and they have to come in and pay more money to improve the roads under the state laws going into effect at the end of the year.

[poonther]

That definitely could be it psycuda.

Now that I've stated that Wally-mart wants to invade Tally, I present you w/this article:

NIMBY Clucking

While I am against world domination by Wally-mart, I find this article a classic case of NIMBYS screaming over nothing. They talk about the site as if it were pristine untouched land. It's a big vacant metal bldg. NIMBYS w/a paved parking lot. Sure they should not increase the area of the bldg. and build into the ravines, but that's not what they are proposing. They've even stated they'd buy the adjacent lots and build storm water ponds for the runoff (not that I love storm water ponds), they'd preserve the untouched ravines part of the property and they'd even direct the lighting as not disturb the ravines or the neighbors. So I ask what more could the neighbors want? It's a good proposal b/c they try and address all the concerns about the property and only a corporate giant like Wally-mart could offer these costly concessions. So I just find this a classic case of NIMBYism.

Do you agree or disagree w/the NIMBYS?

[TD]

Tell all nimbys to move to the country, because the city will never stop!!! URBAN KING!

[psycuda]

That definitely could be it psycuda.

Now that I've stated that Wally-mart wants to invade Tally, I present you w/this article:

NIMBY Clucking

While I am against world domination by Wally-mart, I find this article a classic case of NIMBYS screaming over nothing. They talk about the site as if it were pristine untouched land. It's a big vacant metal bldg. NIMBYS w/a paved parking lot. Sure they should not increase the area of the bldg. and build into the ravines, but that's not what they are proposing. They've even stated they'd buy the adjacent lots and build storm water ponds for the runoff (not that I love storm water ponds), they'd preserve the untouched ravines part of the property and they'd even direct the lighting as not disturb the ravines or the neighbors. So I ask what more could the neighbors want? It's a good proposal b/c they try and address all the concerns about the property and only a corporate giant like Wally-mart could offer these costly concessions. So I just find this a classic case of NIMBYism.

Do you agree or disagree w/the NIMBYS?

I'm staying the heck out of this one, because of my job.

[csmurphy8885]

Nimby's have power, no doubt. No one can argue against the need in capitalism for these developments, but who really wants them right next door?! I mean, Look at everything from the location of the exhaust on your car, to the bi-weekly trash pickup standard these days. We are all guilty.

I think wally-world, however, kills local economy. The money does not really filter down to the community. A few jobs, a few savings, a few local buisness owners looking for jobs....

But getting the enviromental concessions is an important positive side effect of the Nimby's love for thier neighborhood. Even light pollution robing the beauty of the night sky would push me to tree hug! Wally has the funds to make these request dissappear, its a fine thing to see the respect for the future consumers.

I think peoples concearns are valid, but not great enough to stop most large developments. So long time residence move- victims of capitalistic Eminent Domain! Only a few familys cry, and a few more are convenienced with road improvements- even trade...

[psycuda]

After six hours of debate yesterday, the BOAA wanted more info on several points before making a decision about the proposed Wal-Mart on N. Monroe. The main sitcking points, at least from my eyes and ears, are the size of the new Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart wants a 123,000 or so square foot building, while the Friends of Lake Jackson will only allow a store comparable in size to the Sam's Club store (just over 102,000 square feet)) and the operating hours (24/7 Vs Sam's Club hours). Traffic was brought up as a concern, as well as the environmental constraints that exist in the Lake Jackson area. On July 13, the BOAA meets again to discuss this issue and (hopefully) will come to a consensus one way or another.