Sam’s Club at Uptown East Hearing Delayed Until July 10. Now What If…
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As expected, that public hearing on a proposed Sam’s Club near Cityplace set for this afternoon is now delayed until July 10.
In reading media comments, allegations and insinuations are being made that developer Trammell Crow Co. “slipped this by” the city’s plan commission.
“City staff and the developer said the rezoning tweaks were needed to accommodate a proposed “East Village,” a walkable urban neighborhood. In addition, some are alleging that the traffic study was “cooked.”
Glad it was delayed, but concerned that with all these hearings coming in summer, who will be left in town to attend?
“In filings with the city of Dallas, Crow is seeking to rebuild more than half of the north side of the tract with an urban mixed-use development.
Some of the existing office buildings on the property would continue to house a data center and other uses.
Crow officials on Monday would not comment on the pending project or provide any details of the development.
The planned retail project has the potential to become a high-profile restaurant and shopping destination serving the neighborhood.
“There is strong retail demand down there, especially if it’s part of a mixed-use development,” said Clay Smith with Jones Lang LaSalle. “A lot of the retailers want to be in the urban core.
“And with all the residential being built, demand is moving to the east side of the freeway.”
Hmm I am wondering. Seems that Trammell Crow actually never commented on what they were building, but other developers did. “The planned retail project has the potential to become a high-profile restaurant and shopping destination serving the neighborhood” — that was speculation. Too bad they didn’t listen.
Or was it? As much as I think this is a bad real estate decision, perhaps there are some who live in parts of East Dallas who might welcome a Sam’s Wholesale Club. I don’t know. Readers tell me having this club here may help a lot of small businesses in the area. Well, there are already two Sam’s Clubs not that far away. In my real estate dream world, I envision this coming forth as a new, urban-hip Sam’s Wholesale Club. Don’t have the huge, flat, heat-absorbing roof. Don’t have the huge black asphalt parking lot that heats up the area by ten degrees and burns through flip-flops. Less parking, more taxi/Uber space. Use crushed stone in the driveway, and plant circles of native grass with trees. Be a smaller store, kind of like the most perfect Central Market in the world at Preston/Royal. Maybe some office above it?
Come on, Sam’s, show us a new prototype store that appeals to the eco hipster, and then maybe we will all stop griping!
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If nothing else, it should at least be a Costco instead. Costco is so much better than Sam’s, and like you said, there are already Sams nearby already and zero Costcos inside the loop.
James, 100,000 square feet of giant box is bad — regardless of the tenant.
I don’t disagree. Just saying that if it *has* to be a giant box, at least let it not be a complete duplicate of a another giant box 5 miles away.
Candy, you and I both know that’s magical thinking. The Walton family has one prototype for Sams Club — and it’s the cheapest build they can get within zoning requirements that they can’t tank. Has anyone ever seen a Sam’s Club with multiple levels, underground parking and an attractive facade? If you have, please tell me. I went through the May 2013 City Plan Commission case report carefully. It gives no indication, until you read the proposed Ordinance itself, that a big box store is in the works. In fact, the ordinance ADDS the use of “store over 100,000 square feet……”, but the report makes no mention of it. I think Trammell Crow Co knew exactly what it was doing. I think they purposely set the case for hearing at a time just after the council transition, and when the District 2 plan commissioner at the time was often not present due to illness. Then they quickly got it through council. TCC knew that they had pitched this to nearby residents, including the head of the crime watch, as “East Village” …. just like West Village. This is the mischief that happens when staff is inept and complicit, and the neighborhood has no real way to get at the real truth. And a big box store at this location, will put the brakes on surrounding residential redevelopment. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t cause Parimeter to take a second look at the residential proposed for the north side of CityPlace at Haskell.
One correction to my earlier post — gave a pass to the Plan Commission when I shouldn’t have. The District 2 plan commissioner at the time, Liz Wally, was present and made the motion to approve. Having known Liz for years, I’m betting she didn’t have any understanding a big box store was going in. I bet she looked at the staff report, and went with staff’s recommendation. I’m going to talk to her to find it.
Yes, Brenda, that was my magical thinking. I’m an eternal optimist I guess…
Seriously, how can we convince these retailers that giant boxes are just BAD?
Stop shopping in them. The only thing the Walton Family understands is cash.