Bottom Dollar at Penn and S. Pacific? (Plum, Lebanon: houses, neighborhood)

[I_Like_Spam]

Food Lion has an option on the property and would definitely like to build a store on the lot. A major grocery vendor is something Garfield hasn't seen for 30 years since Giant Eagle closed down their store on Penn Ave.


According to the Observer, there is supposed to be a hearing this week on whether Food Lion should be permitted to build there. Before this, there have been countless community meetings extending back for many months. Different groups have visited other local Bottom Dollar outlets, to see what the operation looks like.

Only the most well off and patient corporations can really go through all the hoops the city demands for anyone to build even a facility that will be as well appreciated as a grocery on Penn.

Cutting through the red tape that this outfit, as well as proposed restaurants near my domicile in L'ville and other proposed projects could really accelerate development in the city, particularly in depressed areas like Garfield or the Hill District- which keeps waiting for a grocery vendor to develop a store there.

Somehow, I would think that a major corporation should be able to get an "aye" or "nay" a lot quicker than they have been.

[szug-bot]

is that being fair? is there not a lot of red tape for any commercial development? thats not a rhetorical question, because i just dont know the whole process!

it will be interesting to see this happen, as well as one in the hill, given that some 3 decades have passed since a stand-alone grocery store had opened up deep within a neighborhood. that one in beechview (IGA?) could not have been as bad as the previous foodland. how the health department didnt shut that place down was a mystery.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

is that being fair? is there not a lot of red tape for any commercial development? thats not a rhetorical question, because i just dont know the whole process!

I don't absolutely know myself, but I do know that Bottom Dollar was able to open pretty quickly in the Zayre Shopping Center in Ross Twp., and in Scott Township on Rte. 50 as well as on Mt. Lebanon Blvd.

Same company, and same marketing plan, but Scott, Ross and Mt. Lebanon townships all have different zoning and approval commissions for occupancy permits and variances.

Is that the difference between those stores that are already open and the planned Garfield outlet?


It seems that way, but maybe I'm wrong. I'd like to know what's holding up Food Lion's plans for the east end.

[Geeo]

I don't know that it was red tape that held up the Garfield Bottom Dollar. It's much different to shoehorn a rather large store like that into a dense residential neighborhood than it is to build it inthe middle of a suburban parking lot. I live in an adjacent neighborhood and get the Bloomfield/Garfield newspaper and have been following it.

The Bottom Dollar will be within feet of houses, and neighbors were conderened about the intense light from the parking lot light fixtures. Another issue was where the loading dock would be, since it had to be near the back of the store and again, right next to someone's house. Then there is the issue of trash - where to keep it and how early it would be picked up. Then there was the issue of cars entering and exiting the rather small parkinig lot. How would that impact already congested Penn Avenue? They wanted to create a limited one-way on Pacific for about 50 feet for trucks to access the loading dock. So there were a lot of issues that had to be dealt with.

I commend Bottom Dollar for taking the time and attending all the neighborhood meetings. They made several design changes to the plan and last I heard have approval from the neighborhood. It was smart of them to do this because, after all, those people will be their customers. Everybody in the area wanted a new store and they all worked together to make it happen.

[Clint.]

Originally Posted by Geeo

The Bottom Dollar will be within feet of houses, and neighbors were conderened about the intense light from the parking lot light fixtures. Another issue was where the loading dock would be, since it had to be near the back of the store and again, right next to someone's house. Then there is the issue of trash - where to keep it and how early it would be picked up.

I'd be concerned about that, too. Those lights can BRIGHT and having them on all night would really suck (light pollution in general is bad, let alone to live right next to it. I'd move if I lived somewhere and a business opened up across the street that had bright lights on all night, assuming that is what they are going to do here.

[I_Like_Spam]

The city has scheduled still another hearing, this on September 20th according the Observer.

Seems like a good opportunity for the community leaders down here in Lawrenceville to pitch the vacant storefront at 47th and Plummer to Food Lion if they can't come to an agreement on Penn Ave.

The truck and parking situation over here seems ideal for their needs.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The city has scheduled still another hearing, this on September 20th according the Observer.

Seems like a good opportunity for the community leaders down here in Lawrenceville to pitch the vacant storefront at 47th and Plummer to Food Lion if they can't come to an agreement on Penn Ave.

The truck and parking situation over here seems ideal for their needs.

I live within eyesight of the shuttered Giant Eagle. I'd love it to be something again. But there's a Shop & Save only ten blocks up Butler Street. I'm just not convinced given how the neighborhood is changing there's going to be a market for two different downscale grocery stores much longer.

I think the best chain to go in there would probably be an Aldi, which is known for low prices, but has something approaching a hipsterish cache as well due to its Trader Joe's relationship.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I live within eyesight of the shuttered Giant Eagle. I'd love it to be something again. But there's a Shop & Save only ten blocks up Butler Street. I'm just not convinced given how the neighborhood is changing there's going to be a market for two different downscale grocery stores much longer.

The old Giant Eagle was a pretty small store, and with the huge Waterworks Eagle a relative short distance away and people just preferred to go there. The 47th and Plummer store was owned by an independent, the store really wasn't up to top standards.

Bottom Dollar--or Aldi's for that matter-- would have a lot deeper pockets to make the place more modern.

Of course, Aldi's is a short distance away, just across the 62nd St. Bridge in Etna, I don't think they would need a store that close particularly with their new store going up in the Lenny Levy building on Baum.

The 47th St. location is adjacent to the Hatfield St. senior citizens building as well as new housing currently going up on Hatfield near Heppenstall. The area seems to be increasing in population and affluence, a good area for new retail.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I live within eyesight of the shuttered Giant Eagle. I'd love it to be something again. But there's a Shop & Save only ten blocks up Butler Street. I'm just not convinced given how the neighborhood is changing there's going to be a market for two different downscale grocery stores much longer.

You're mistaken. Upper middle class like bargains too.

Furthermore, L'ville isn't going to become an upscale neighborhood anytime soon.

It's definitely improving but not to the point of being too snobby for a discount store.

Originally Posted by eschaton

I think the best chain to go in there would probably be an Aldi, which is known for low prices, but has something approaching a hipsterish cache as well due to its Trader Joe's relationship.

Aldi isn't hipster. If it is, that means hipsters like bargains.

And if hipsters like bargains, they'll like Bottom Dollar more because Bottom Dollar has national brand names. Aldi doesn't.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

And if hipsters like bargains, they'll like Bottom Dollar more because Bottom Dollar has national brand names. Aldi doesn't.

Why would hipsters like national brand names? They would want the name nobody has heard of yet but that will soon be the next cool thing.

It's true that equating Aldi with Trader Joe's is not at all correct....