More notes on the Target Store approval

Last Thursday the Plan Commission voted 5-1 to approve the plan for Target’s 125,000 square foot store at Shoppes at Wyndham Village. I heard no surprises after reviewing a tape of the meeting, but did find some of the comments by Target Architect Thomas Lasley very telling:

"I told my team, ‘Throw away your preconceptions. Let’s take a very hard look at the Sendik’s adjacent retail that was approved two weeks ago.’

"We wanted to be compatible with the rest of the site in materials, picking up on the architectural language – more of a traditional language than what we showed two weeks ago. So we have, in my mind, radically changed the architecture of the Target store.

You are likely shaking your head, thinking "Shouldn't that have been self-evident from the beginning?"

Well, no, it wasn't, and isn't. When a Target or any big box comes into a community, they are looking to spend the least amount of time, effort and capital possible to put in a profitable location. The fact of the matter is, people will come to a half-ass Target as surely as they'll come to a nice-looking Target. Where you make a difference is in how that Target augments, enlivens, and energizes (socially and economically) the surrounding businesses and neighborhoods.

The mayor and Planning Manager Joel Dietl both made reference to the Target in Davis, California that I've previously mentioned in this blog. Joel erroneously supposed that it was the specific Davis Target building that had so much appeal. It's not the specific building in Davis, it's the approach they take to development. Consider this line from an article in the Davis Enterprise:

From the outset, the City of Davis had a series of very specific conditions for the project...

That's the key! Target immediately sensed a focussed community and administration in Davis and quickly upped the ante, unilaterally proposing even more aesthetic and environmental improvements.

It's up to city administration--the planning staff and plan commission--to create and maintain standards. Unfortunately, Franklin's Plan Staff reports to the Office of Economic Development, which hamstrings their efforts; their goals are not consistent with one another in many crucial ways.

Developers, left to their own devices, will create a nation of strip malls; they will only create community- and economy-positive projects when directed to do so. In this case, in service to a better financial outcome for the investment group, developer Mark Carstensen simply ceded to Target their entire building and property to do with what they wish, which has doomed the site design of the Shoppes at Wyndham Village and severely constrained ongoing tenant opportunities (more on that in an upcoming post).

In the end, Target didn't "radically" change anything. But the fact remains that Target eventually responded to the needs and requirements of this particular site after  developer Mark Carstensen virtually washed his hands of his involvement with "their part of the development." With the addition of a few inexpensive details, the store is now, at least, a closer fit to the rest of the site - - thanks to pressure exerted by the city's plan commission (and after the city's Director of City/Economic Development, Doug Wheaton, had already profusely praised Target's initial anemic effort; this is why plan staff should not report to the Director of City/Economic Development).

Credit where credit is due

Having closely followed this project from the very beginning, I will say with great certainty that none of the Target improvements would have occurred without the ongoing efforts of blogger Greg Kowalski. While I occasionally wince at his sensitivity to the slings and arrows of his fellow Franklinnow.com bloggers, and I disagree with his laser-like focus on the cosmetics of Target's exterior versus what I feel is the far greater problem of "Shoppes" terrible site plan and near-certain upcoming tenant problems associated with having a Target dominate the landscape, Greg kept his specific issue in front of the public and city administration and changed the conversation regarding what Franklin is willing to accept from Target.

Whether you agree or disagree with Greg, you cannot deny that the language and approach of Franklin's planning administration toward Target at the end of the process was vastly different--and vastly more effective--than the "just happy to have you here, Mr. Big Box" attitude that reigned at the beginning of this process. Greg made a positive difference.

Also, Mayor Tom Taylor must be commended for accommodating the concerns of Kowalski and other residents throughout the process. As he noted in remarks at the Plan Commission meeting, he ran for alderman and then mayor on a pro-economic development platform that, taken at face value, would preclude his consideration of any opinions that arguably hinder an incoming big box store regardless of its intended site design, architecture or long-term community impact. You would be hard-pressed to perceive in the decisions he made along the way (exercising his discretion to allow public comment, attending meetings with citizen groups, etc.) any sort of bias.

On the Plan Commission, Kevin Haley has been an ongoing beacon of wisdom. Never afraid to express the truth, no matter how unpopular, his was the sole dissenting vote against approving Target's building. After praising Target's efforts and execution, Haley said he would nonetheless have to oppose the motion:

My concerns are with the big picture, the quality. The Civic Center District guidelines tell us that this is supposed to set a higher standard. This is the standard by which all of Franklin will be evaluated in terms of architecture, site planning, many amenities. You did a great job on spiffing up the building, but as I tried to make apparent in our previous meetings, I have issues with the site plan, with the massing of the buildings, the fact that many of the third and fourth sides are very plain.

Haley is not soothed by a pretty facade; he's aware of the root of the site plan problem: Everything is built around the self-sufficient Target. This will ultimately be the undoing of the entire development as a true public space and commercial success beyond the Target parking lot border.

Mayor Taylor noted after Haley's comments:

Commissioner Haley, I’ve said it before -- I very much respect that you are sticking to your guns and principles. And I understand that you’ve made it no secret for some time that perhaps this could be done or that could be done. I do appreciate your position, and I also very much appreciate you being a plan commissioner.

As should we all.

Comments

[Josh Strupp]

At this point in the project, are there any possibilities of further changes to the Shoppes layout? I'm assuming that the time has passed for Commissioner Haley's comments to be taken into consideration for additional changes to the siteplan?

Your take on Greg's efforts on this project are right on. He should be proud of what he's accomplished for this project and the community as a whole. Judging by the rather abrreviated, dismissive responses from the Franklinnow posse, I think it's clear that something important was achieved.

[John Michlig]

The SITE PLAN was approved some time ago, unfortunately. We can only hope that somewhere down the line another developer comes in and overhauls it. In 2016 or so.

[Greg Kowalski]

Thanks, Josh for the uplifting comments. Too bad you weren't one of the bloggers on FranklinNOW.com!

I guess people like you, John, and myself are members of that big 'ol "Lollypop Guild!" - for whatever's that worth. I think that was to mock the Franklin residents, I don't know. What do you think...

[Josh Strupp]

Maybe he's upset he didn't get invited to join. Maybe if he asks really nicely, you might consider it? Coach.

[Greg Kowalski]

Well if these other bloggers would have been at least half considerate of what Franklin residents were truly trying to accomplish I'd consider forgiving them.

Unfortunately all you hear almost 24/7 is something absolutely negative. I mean, even when the residents got a better-looking Target, their camp goes on and on saying how the naysayers lost and the Lollypop Guild is holding a ceremony!

I'm sure if I would have done that with the failed referenda I woulda been shot down so bad verbally, I just might have had to step down as a blogger. Who knows!

At least I can credit John here on his very own blog as being upfront and honest. John - you do a magnificent job here, I just wish you were a little more blunt at times! The Franklin blogosphere needs it.

[John Michlig]

Thanks, Greg.

"More blunt"? I thing the blogosphere is blunt enough already without me adding to the mud fight!

[Greg Kowalski]

I don't think there's mud involved, John. I see a lot more missiles and rockets being fired in my direction instead.

Trust me, I'd prefer the mud! I'm sick of having to shoot down the nonsense every time someone decides to get in a huff.

I wonder if I can become the Coach of FranklinNOW.com's bloggers. Now THAT would be interesting...