Fountains of Franklin: No tenants, but looking to build. Here's a suggestion -

(Image above from Cooltown Studios)

Let me make a (in light of my current situation, rather selfish) suggestion to the developers of Fountains of Franklin: TWO STORY BUILDINGS with co-working spaces up top - - WiFi, phones, electric, desks and chairs - - that collect nominal monthly/weekly/daily "user fees" whether or not the commercial spaces below are leased. Maybe a handy FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Center moves in. Starbucks loves these gatherings of coffee-swilling laptop pounders who can be counted on to show up every day (better yet, let a locally-owned coffeeshop get in there).

Imagine - - actual all-day foot traffic! People coming and going! Impromtu meetings in the greenspace! Bike racks!

Truth is, you should have done that with the ANDY'S building, which now has attractive empty windows on either side of the service station section of the building - no tenants.

C'mon - think outside the box already. Shoppes at Wyndham Village is certainly no threat to do something the least bit innovative or outside their build-a-stripmall kit - - make yourself stand out! Create a positive vibe over there!

Or build another strip mall.

See also:
Third place coffeehouses and coworking sites as economic development tools
Attract more creatives with 'anchored coworking'

From FranklinNow.com:

For the second time in six weeks the Plan Commission conditionally approved a plan for the next phase of the Fountains of Franklin Sendik's development. The Common Council has yet to cast its vote on the plan.

The $25 million to $30 million project would feature two commercial buildings totaling 39,700 square feet. Both structures, which do not have tenants yet, would be adjacent to the 61,500-square-foot Sendik's Fine Foods, a popular store that opened in November.

After reviewing revised architectural plans, the commission on June 19 conditionally approved a revised certified survey map for the next phase of the multiphase development in the 5300 to 5400 blocks of West Rawson Avenue. The commission called for more tweaking, particularly to the larger building's south elevation, which will face Rawson Avenue.

The commission approved a similar plan last month, but it was rejected the the Common Council on May 20.

Comments

[Janet Evans]

John,

As I said before, I really love this concept...and actually spoke to a builder/developer friend about it tonight when I saw your post. He was familiar with this from the West Coast/East Coast.

By the way...what's the city doing to help prevent what happened to your home from happening again? Is that going to be a work in progress?

[John Michlig]

I hope there is a developer somewhere who can see beyond strip malls here in Franklin.

Regarding my flood situation: That will be an ongoing discussion with the city. Turns out the only two storm sewers in my cul-de-sac simply empty into the ditch in my back yard - - not a good situation during a torrential rainstorm like the one we faced.

[Suicuin L'Moriel]

Do these fools read this blog? Why not?

Honestly, it's just just ignorance. I really think they DO NOT care. They want fast buck strip malls and to think as little as possible. If that's all they can build then NOTHING should be built in Franklin, there are plenty of brownfields in Milwaukee begging for legitimate development

[John Michlig]

Flattering, Suicuin, but it's hard to imagine a scenario where a developer sits down with his staff and says, "You know what, let's defer our own payback a bit on this project and see if we can make something that is a real contribution to the community. We'll make more money in the long run, fellas, and I have some notes I took from a blog called SPRAWLED OUT ...."