My post of the latest "Shoppes (I give up; I’ll spell it that way from now on) at Wyndham Village" site plan was recently linked by Greg Kowalski at his Franklinnow.com blog, meaning I better get at least a portion of my opinion out there.
But before I get on my soapbox, I should correct a couple of flattering but nonetheless incorrect assumptions made by Greg.
First of all, the amended site plan is surely in no way, shape or form influenced by my post of March 28th, which featured a pretty awful “leaked” site plan (part of a submission to the DNR which was mailed anonymously to concerned parties). The city of Franklin had already given Carstensen a 58-point memo on the plan, dated March 9, which you can read here. Carstensen Construction and Development has since replied point by point and re-submitted the site plan currently under discussion.
Secondly, Greg is being kind when he says "John has done an EXCELLENT job at getting to the bottom of this development and why everything currently looks to be a bit stalled." I only wish I was could claim as much; this project is a mystery wrapped in an enigma slathered with misdirection sauce. The more I inquire, the more layers I uncover. The DNR has expressed concern over the site's wetlands impacts; there is a question as to whether the DOT will OK the separation of the two entries on Hwy. 100; Carstensen is, frankly, in a race to get his Sendik's location up before the competing Fountains of Franklin Sendik's (it's a pipe dream to believe they can both survive within three miles of one another in car-centric Franklin - - it's even money, in my opinion, that one or the other won't even get built); an alderman and environmental commission member were "disinvited" from a planned walking tour of the property; and, this site plan gets NO Environmental Commission review unless requested by the Council. (You read that right: The Franklin Environmental Commission is not entitled to review the plans of this giant commercial development that impacts wetlands and old growth trees.)
And that's not to mention that the City of Franklin's Unified Development Ordinance is 461 pages long. Understanding the city-developer relationship in Franklin is not like reading the instructions on the inside of a Monopoly box.
So - my opinion of the site plan as it stands: In a word, disappointing.
Please understand that I don't focus blame solely on the developer or the plan commission. In many cases the developer is merely adhering to rules as stated in the labyrinthine UDO while keeping the anchor stores happy. And, let's face it, the developer has to keep his eye on the bottom line and is under no obligation to do any more than required by statute. At the same time, the city has to do its best not to discourage commercial development, so it is certainly not politically or professionally advantageous for an elected alderperson or city staff member to rock the boat.
Also, I genuinely want this development to succeed, but not as just another remote retail pod that further reinforces Franklin's sprawl and commitment to car-only connections.
With that said, the potential missed opportunity here is just tragic. While the location isn’t ideal - - the parcel is indeed “sprawled out” from the de facto city center (the library, park, city hall) - - there are still any number of ways that this public space could be created with the future of the city of Franklin and its citizens in mind. The opportunity is further enhanced by the fact that the developer, Mark Carstensen, is no out-of-state carpetbagger but a lifelong Franklin resident held in high regard by city officials. Who better to create a vital component that is part of a greater good for the city? With his solid reputation, who better to work with the city administrators to re-write some outdated rules and statutes?
This plan, however, could have been drawn up by a fly-in developer who lives in Palm Beach. It's just another pod for people to drive to and drive away from with no integral relationship with its surroundings. You could build this from a kit and set it anywhere. In fact, so vehicle-centric is "Shoppes" that it seems configured for placement next to a freeway.
"Village"? No - - to title it thus is cynical. Franklin remains a city without a city center or truly public space, and that's tragic.
How is "Shoppes" different from the horrendous strip malls of Howell Avenue in Oak Creek (the newest Target and nearby OfficeMax)? The fact that two buildings are at right angles at the corner of Drexel and Hwy. 100? It's nothing more than the same old big box configuration set behind a vast parking lot with smaller stores in the sublet space out front - - the same thing you get at any Wal-Mart, anywhere in the country.
There is no human scale to speak of. Imagine yourself stopping at "Building 5" for a coffee - - after all, it has that teeny-tiny "public courtyard" you can relax in. Now you want to get to Sendik's for a loaf of bread. Before you is a huge expanse of asphalt peppered with vehicles in a hurry; good luck. Is that a pleasant experience?
This is the very definition of "when nearby is still far away" - - the "adjacency vs. accessibility" problem we see all over Franklin as a result of pod developmental practices. Yet in "Shoppes" we have an opportunity for a from-the-ground-up public/commercial space created by a single developer, and the buildings within this plan still have little or no relationship to one another. "When nearby is still far away" indeed!
The same goes for access from the Wyndham subdivision across the street. They will get all the added traffic noise and congestion, but busy Drexel will prohibit an easy walking or biking route to the enjoy the "Shoppes" without putting another car on the road. The subdivisions just north of the Wyndham subdivision cannot drive directly south to the "Shoppes," instead having to go around and on the busy collector roads.
The neighborhoods to the south and east of the library represent a great market possibility for commercial entities at "Shoppes." There exists no walking or bike path between Loomis and the site, however.
As a self-contained pod, "Shoppes" adds no internal grid roads to help relieve the Drexel/Hwy. 100 collector congestion. Stand on the corner of Drexel and Hwy 100 at 4pm any weekday and watch the traffic as it is now, even with no significant retail destination. Is there any doubt that we'll see stand-still back-ups that go past the twin entries to the Wyndham subdivision and the "Shoppes"? Noise, exhaust, and frustration.
And - - roundabout notwithstanding - - danger; yet another reason to keep kids home and further restrict their freedom. Want to go to the store for an ice cream? Well, it's just across the street - - but we better drive you anyway, as there is no safe crosswalk and traversing the parking lot is deadly.
When nearby is still far away.
What sort of tenants will be attracted to the "Shoppes"? Can a cafe or coffee shop enjoy the sort of day-long patronage they need to survive in a pod with very prohibitive pedestrian access? Why not pre-build useful, destination-based foot and bike paths as part of the plan so these businesses can be attracted to "Shoppes"? Why not make a stop at the deli or grocery store possible as part of the morning power walk or jog?
To enhance safety at night, why not multiple-use zoning with apartments above via multi-story buildings to create "eyes on the street"? A developer is buying up properties to the south of the "Shoppes" site to build multi-family housing - - why not integrate that development, rather than have Target's loading docks face them?
The Master Site Plan dated 4/11/07 has the notation "Building footprint and parking subject to change" on buildings 7 and 6. How about using them to develop the half-baked entryway concept at the corner of Drexel and Hwy. 100 and enclose a much larger, usable public square rather than enshrining parking spaces?
Let's hope formal public input is invited before things get to the point of no return. If the citizens of Franklin truly believe that we deserve carefully thought-out, vibrant public spaces and a much greater emphasis on non-vehicular connectivity, this is precisely the sort of project that should get our attention.
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