Allandale Neighborhood Association meeting with Lincoln Property & Wal-Mart Nov 15 2006

submitted by Kay Newell

Lincoln Property Co. represented by Robert Dozier and Wes Babb
Wal-Mart represented by Richard Suttle and Mark Aflatooni

In the past Lincoln Property Co and MRO N Cross Inc bid on Northcross Mall - MRO had the winning bid. Then came the tech bust and the downturn for Northcross Mall. In 2006 Lincoln bid on Northcross Mall again and this time had the winning bid.

Lincoln ran a Retail Void Analysis - the results show the area is massively undersized for grocery. Two of the companies contacted by Lincoln about locating in Northcross were Whole Foods and HEB, both declined the site. Lincoln hired an architect and engineer, and continued with their development plans to remodel the existing mall. Lincoln began the City of Austin site plan process in Jan 2006, the site plan was approved by the City of Austin in August 2006. Wal-Mart expressed an interest in becoming a tenant in Northcross this summer and signed a lease in Nov 2006.

   Part one for Lincoln is to redevelop the east side of the mall beginning Jan 2007 and will include a state of the art ice rink. The east building will have small store fronts facing Burnet Rd, there will also be stores on the inside of the mall facing the center.

Lincoln plans on including small local businesses in the east building. The existing stores that will stay in the mall will be moved to the east building once renovations are complete. These businesses will not have any downtime due to the renovations. South of Conn's, Lincoln will build a large retention pond to address run-off. Part two for Lincoln is the plan to raze the western half of the mall and replace it with a two story building and a 3-level two story parking facility that will be designed to look like a building fronting on Anderson. This summer Wal-Mart expressed an interest in being a tenant in the western half of the Northcross redevelopment; saying it was willing to roll up its sleeves, throw out its cookie cutter design approach to stores, and work on a new design concept. The initial plans call for grocery to be on the first floor and merchandise on the second. Wal-Mart signed a lease with Lincoln a couple of weeks ago for the western half of Northcross.

Lincoln has not entered the building permit phase of their renovation.  Lincoln provided tonight's meeting with an elevation drawing of Northcross that has not been seen anywhere else , (click on photo  to see larger view).

An Austin example of Lincoln's mall renovation is Hancock Center. Does the City of Austin site plan process allow for public input? No, a site plan goes through normal City of Austin approvals - once all the city requirements have been met, the City will approve a site plan.

Lincoln's site plan was approved by the City of Austin, Aug 2006. Does the renovation require a zoning change? No

What will the new square footage be? Per Lincoln, the renovated mall will be approximately the same size as the existing mall. The new parking building will be built on top of existing parking.

What time frame are we looking at? Renovations on the east side will begin in Jan 2007. Will the Wal-Mart side be finished by the end of 2008? That would be aggressive and it would likely not be finished by then.

A question was raised about traffic impact studies - Lincoln said the city had been provided with information during the site plan approval phase, and that they would get in contact with their traffic engineer to provide further information. Traffic studies are not directed at specific stores but rather at the categories different stores fall in. During the site plan approval phase Lincoln met the City of Austin traffic site plan requirements. At the present, all entrances and exits to the mall will remain the same. A question was raised about potential traffic problems in the residential areas of Allandale - specifically Foster and the number of elderly and handicapped that use Foster. Lincoln will look into this issue.

Does it have to be a 24/7 store? According to Richard Suttle, Wal-Mart has never negotiated that aspect of their business model.

When can the neighborhood associations have input on the exterior? Once Lincoln and Wal-Mart have finished the design phase, they will bring the plans to the neighborhood associations for input. Wal-Mart is not putting up a gray box, this will be an upscale urban store built with Central Texas designs in mind.

Where will the loading dock be and what path will the trucks take into Northcross? The loading dock will be on the south side of the Wal-Mart but north of the retail building on Northcross   Drive and Summerfield Suites on Northcross   Drive. There is a large turning area at the loading dock - Lincoln stated the trucks would come in along the south side of Northcross Mall from Burnet  Rd and leave via Burnet Rd.

A question was raised about Wal-Mart allowing RV's to stay on their parking lots - will Lincoln implement that policy at Northcross? What about crime, who is responsible for security? What about lighting? Lincoln owns Northcross Mall and the parking facilities - Wal-Mart is a tenant. Lincoln will not allow RV's to stay at Northcross Mall. This was re-confirmed after the meeting. Lincoln is responsible for the security of the mall, mall parking lots, and the Wal-Mart parking building. The lighting at Northcross will be recessed or shaded.

Concerns were raised about the value of surrounding homes falling due to Wal-Mart being a tenant in Northcross Mall. Another participant pointed out that a Wal-Mart is located close to $1 million dollar homes in Dallas and those home values have not been impacted. Lincoln pointed out that instead of negatively impacting an area, a successful mall brings business in and helps to develop an area. Can the Allandale Neighborhood Association get local realtors to provide a study of property values? Gretchen Vaden, President of Allandale Neighborhood Association will contact Allandale realtors for input.

A comment was made asking that Wal-Mart address how it plans to incorporate in the Northcross Wal-Mart the environmental principles and goals expressed by Lee Scott, CEO of Wal-Mart in his 2005 speech.

A question was raised about good faith on the part of Lincolnin not disclosing their business plans to the neighbors first. According to Lincoln - Wal-Mart just signed the lease in the last couple of weeks. The rumors were starting to leak so Lincoln and Wal-Mart approached the Austin City Council at that time to tell them the rumors are true and what their plans are. That was only a few days before the story broke in the Austin American-Statesman. Within a short period of time Lincoln & Wal-Mart began their meetings with the surrounding neighborhood associations.

A question was raised about Lincoln providing an area where anyone could assemble - an example was of a free speech meeting concerning Wal-Mart's corporate policies. Lincoln stated that anyone could request meeting space at Northcross providing it does not violate lease agreements that Lincoln has in place with all of its tenants.

Will Wal-Mart wait for the Big Box Ordinance to pass and then go back through the city process when it includes the citizen input step? The Lincoln and Wal-Mart representatives couldn't commit to that. The Lincoln and Wal-Mart representatives said neighborhood input is why we are here now and why we will be meeting with you in the future. They met with Wooten NA Nov 13, today with Allandale NA, and in the next few weeks they will be meeting with more neighborhood associations.

 

Comments

[Carl H. Tepper]

While my good intentioned but misguided neighbors waste time and energy to try and stop Wal-Mart from improving a desperately run down Northcross Mall, there is barely a whimper about a halfway house (prison) going up on Lamar. Read below:

6222 N. Lamar is located on the west side of the street (within BNA's
boundaries) between Auto Glass Repair and Van/Pick-up Center. Romeria is to
the south; Alegria si to the north. The existing building sits at the rear
of the site and backs up to houses on Wilde and Arcadia. It is zoned CS
(Commercial Services) and the land use is currently "residential treatment
and rehabilitation".

Bannum Corp, the applicant, is a Florida for-profit prison contractor. They
are requesting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for "transitional housing"
(CUP are special permits required after public hearing/input for uses that
are not typically allowed due to their potentially problematic nature --
DLB's edit). This would allow 15 pre-parole offenders to reside at this
facility. This CUP will also allow this site to become a half-way house for
juvenile delinquents, ex-cons and/or overnight shelter for the homeless.

Historic problems with other uses at this site and it's proximity to liquor
stores and the Yellow Rose adds to the potential problems with this use at
this location.

When Bannum's prisoner housing contract with the US Bureau of Prisons is up
and their lease of the property expires, this site will STAY "Transitional
Housing". The Brentwood Neighborhood Plan has ea
rmarked this site as CS-MU (Multi-Use).

The public hearing will be held at 6:00pm at City Hall this coming Tuesday,
Dec. 12th. The Zoning Comm needs to make a recommendation to the Brentwood
Steering Committee for a quick e-vote to ensure that our position is known
at the hearing (DLB will attend; others are welcome).

This CUP is an incompatible land use and is particularly problematic given
it's immediate adjacency to homes in Brentwood. The immediate neighbors have
already expressed their strong opposition to this application. The only
enforcement of CUP violations is by neighbors complaints (often after crimes
and other actions have already transpired). For these reasons, I suggest
that the ZC oppose this CUP

[Carl H. Tepper]

While my good intentioned but misguided neighbors waste time and energy to try and stop Wal-Mart from improving a desperately run down Northcross Mall, there is barely a whimper about a halfway house (prison) going up on Lamar. Read below:

6222 N. Lamar is located on the west side of the street (within BNA's
boundaries) between Auto Glass Repair and Van/Pick-up Center. Romeria is to
the south; Alegria si to the north. The existing building sits at the rear
of the site and backs up to houses on Wilde and Arcadia. It is zoned CS
(Commercial Services) and the land use is currently "residential treatment
and rehabilitation".

Bannum Corp, the applicant, is a Florida for-profit prison contractor. They
are requesting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for "transitional housing"
(CUP are special permits required after public hearing/input for uses that
are not typically allowed due to their potentially problematic nature --
DLB's edit). This would allow 15 pre-parole offenders to reside at this
facility. This CUP will also allow this site to become a half-way house for
juvenile delinquents, ex-cons and/or overnight shelter for the homeless.

Historic problems with other uses at this site and it's proximity to liquor
stores and the Yellow Rose adds to the potential problems with this use at
this location.

When Bannum's prisoner housing contract with the US Bureau of Prisons is up
and their lease of the property expires, this site will STAY "Transitional
Housing". The Brentwood Neighborhood Plan has ea
rmarked this site as CS-MU (Multi-Use).

The public hearing will be held at 6:00pm at City Hall this coming Tuesday,
Dec. 12th. The Zoning Comm needs to make a recommendation to the Brentwood
Steering Committee for a quick e-vote to ensure that our position is known
at the hearing (DLB will attend; others are welcome).

This CUP is an incompatible land use and is particularly problematic given
it's immediate adjacency to homes in Brentwood. The immediate neighbors have
already expressed their strong opposition to this application. The only
enforcement of CUP violations is by neighbors complaints (often after crimes
and other actions have already transpired). For these reasons, I suggest
that the ZC oppose this CUP

[john bevis]

just a thought .the COA is using Platmail on the new owners of the Las Mananitas land.A resturant folks like but hardly deserving of historical status.The Mananitas lease is up soon and in America the land owner has the right to refuse a renewal of the lease, or so I thought .Anyway the city concil is comming to the Mananitas people aid big time!
Myself I think the hundred's of families that live and love in Allandale and adjacent neighborhood's deserve at least as much help in mediating and encouraging Walmart to stay out of our yards as they spent on mananitas. We all know just because one party says it is a done deal it ain't over.What has happened to city council members who made it their policy to never go against the wishes of the neighboorhood.The city has had the walmart building permit since january.

[Jeffery Fischer]

The very best way to get Lincoln Property Co. to modify the plan is to boycott all their properties in central Texas. This is the only leverage the public has over this huge company.

[John Keohane]

I was not at this meeting on the 15th, but I spoke with Brigid Shea this evening by the telephone. I understand that Brigid made a stong pitch for those interested in opposing the Wal-Mart at Northcross, to get in touch with Paige Hill, and that Paige's email is: designbarefoot@gmail.com

If this is incorrect, please include a comment to my comment pointing this out. If this is correct, I, for one, am sorry that this did not get included in these "minutes" of this meeting.

John Keohane
Former Zoning Chair, and Former Board Member, Allandale Neighborhood Association
(512) 371-3853
keohane@prodigy.net

[hope]

The echoout website was put up several months ago by one of the individuals involved in the Responsible Growth group. Responsible Growth for Northcross will be launching its own website later this week, at responsiblegrowthfornorthcross.org

[Debra Junell]

Well, oops again. It's http://www.echoout.com/northcross2
Try again.

[Debra Junell]

My mistake - things are evidently happening fast. The neighborhood group that is organizing to fight against Walmart at Northcross is now named Responsible Growth for Northcross. This is the same group that Paige Hill is associated with - as well as a growing list of experts and neighbors. To find out more go to http://www.echoout.com/northcross2/index.php. You will find information on how to join the group, upcoming events, etc.

[Debra Junell]

And now for the rest of the story . . .

While this account of the meeting Wednesday is thorough, it seems to be skewed to the Walmart and Lincoln Properties side of the story. I appreciate Robert Suttle, the Walmart attorney, and Robert Dozier representing Lincoln Properties (and the other representatives) attending the meeting and opening this dialog with the neighborhood, but I think that the comments and reactions of the majority of the crowd at the meeting should also be mentioned. There is only a little hint in this article of the general opposition to a Walmart at Northcross that was apparent. It was a lively meeting and it was evident that a large part of the people present opposed Walmart at Northcross and presented very valid and pointed concerns besides the general “security” and RV issues stated in this article.

There was a transportation engineer present who questioned the validity of Lincoln Properties’ findings regarding traffic impact to our neighborhoods. The similar developments that were presented as positive examples by Lincoln were all bounded by large highways or interstates - not by 5 neighborhoods with 4-lane and 2-lane streets. Many people expressed admiration for Lincoln Properties’ development of Hancock Center. While it is attractive, it does not compare to Northcross because it is located on I-35, not Anderson Lane. It was said that there was no zoning change needed and the traffic would not change because Northcross had already been a mall. However, as it has been repeatedly stated, it has not been a very active mall, yet we all know that the traffic on Anderson and Burnet has continued to get worse in recent years even though Northcross has been underused. Think when a 24/7 supercenter is added to that equation! And, oh boy, we were assured that all the semis delivering merchandise at all hours of the day and night would be limited to Burnet Road. I don’t feel better.

There were statistics presented by attendees of the meeting of the very high crime rates at Walmart stores. Mr. Suttle did not dispute that, although he put it off as being due to Walmart’s zero tolerance policy of shoplifting. Even if that were the case, there are studies to be found on the internet that show the cost to the local police force to be appreciable for a new Walmart. In a national study (available at http://www.walmartcrimereport.com/report.pdf) it was stated that “Nationally, Wal-Mart stores cost local taxpayers an estimated $77 million in increased policing costs in 2004”. And this from Dallas: “A 2002 internal Dallas Police Department memo warned that a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter would lead to longer response times. [Dallas Morning News, Jun 5, 2002].” It is an interesting report and there are many quotes from police departments nationwide stating that they have been overwhelmed by calls from Walmarts. Also, it is shown that Walmarts experience a violent crime rate five to six times higher than a Target store within the same 10 mile radius.

There were also many comments regarding Walmart’s business practices, employee rights atrocities, and pollution from lights, noise, traffic and trash. There was a question regarding the tax revenues a Walmart will bring to the city. Mr. Dozier seemed to assume the question was regarding sales taxes and he had no answer. Logic would answer that there would be no increase in sales tax and, possibly, a lowering of sales tax revenue. A new Walmart does not create a greater need for diapers, pickles, or blenders - it only diverts the purchase of those items from other (often local) businesses and the purchases are made at a lower price from an employee making a lower wage. That means a lower sales tax revenue from that box of diapers. Also, fewer buying dollars are available in the community from lower wages resulting in fewer purchases that lead to, yes, lower sales tax.

Another concern is the lack of regard afforded the affected neighborhoods by our City Council. While it may not have been required by law to get our input, considering the fact that there is a Big Box Ordinance on the table to be voted on December 7th, it would seem that a city council acting in the best interest of the neighborhoods it represents would think it wise, if only fair, to inform us of a pending impact to our community of this magnitude. Some of our neighbors asked Lincoln Properties and council members about Walmart at Northcross as early as this summer. Mr. Dozier of Lincoln Properties confirmed at the meeting that serious talks began with Walmart in early summer as well as the first visit, with the site-plan, to the city occurred at that time.

Our mayor, Will Wynn, wrote a statement (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/wynn_walmart.htm) dated July 2, 2003 regarding the proposed Walmart Supercenter at Mopac and Slaughter Lane (which was a done-deal but was not built). He said, “The proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter development within the Barton Springs Recharge Zone is in the wrong place, and now it is entirely up to Wal-Mart to make the right choice and locate the project elsewhere.” While I understand that this refers to the environmental impact on the recharge zone, the Northcross Walmart has the same possibility of affecting Shoal Creek (which Mr. Dozier seemed to not know existed), which runs through Austin and feeds Town Lake. The possible affect needs to be studied thoroughly. Mayor Wynn also wrote, “ In closing this statement, I want to emphasize that although the City of Austin has no legal recourse to prevent the proposed development of a Wal-Mart Supercenter at Mopac and Slaughter, I, as Mayor, will continue to vigorously represent to the corporate leadership of Wal-Mart the opinion that I share with many in Austin: This land is not environmentally suited for large-scale retail.” What about our neighborhoods? Are they suited? Just as importantly, the Walmart Supercenter could affect the lives and livelihoods of the inhabitants of 5 neighborhoods in central Austin. We deserve to be heard and to have all of our questions answered.

In my view, the highlight of the meeting was when an apparently well-informed participant stood up at the end and spoke to the crowd. She stated that while Walmart and Lincoln Properties presented this as a “done deal”, there was still much that could be done. She said that the community needed to organize and use all of our resources in this battle. I think there are many residents of the five neighborhoods who are not ready to give up just because it is going to be a “pretty” big box, or because the representatives of the businesses involved tell us that it is a done deal. Write your city council (contact information can be found at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/contacts.htm), and if you are interested in finding out more about the fight against Walmart at Northcross, or in joining the fight, contact Paige Hill at designbarefoot@gmail.com. She is organizing the Northcross Development Group to try and stop Walmart from coming to Northcross. We should at least try.

[C.Brown]

What works in Dallas does not work in Austin. All we can do is SHOW Wal Mart and Lincoln this by never making a purchase at their store-should hell freeze over and they put it up.

Demand is what drives property values. If Austinites decide they don't want to live within a 10 mile radius of a Wal Mart they won't buy.