New stores coming to Duluth, anyone know of any? (Crystal: bankruptcy, income)

[duluthian2008]

I agree with you.

[Wood & Creek]

Be careful what you wish for! I was born and raised in Stillwater, which was always a quaint beautiful town on the St. Croix River. It had a charming downtown and a small town feel, but nice unique resteraunts and businesses and great schools.

The past few years we've seen so much development. New huge condos bringing in hundreds of people from the cities and other burbs, chain upon chain store popping up along the highway, and cookie cutter developments sprouting up all over the place. All of a sudden I can't even drive down the side streets anymore because they're congested with traffic, you no longer know the people at the local pubs, everything starts changing and the whole small town feel and charm of the town is gone.

I desperately miss the way this town used to be before chipolte, buffalo wild wings, liberty village, the ugly river condos and super walmart came!! Leave the city in the city! I have no problem leaving my scenic river town and driving to the city for things I can't get here. Duluth is beautiful, keep it that way!!

[duluthian2008]

Yes I think we do have to be careful for what we wish for but there also is a huge difference in Duluth and Stillwater. Before whatever the population was before Stillwater hit its growth spurt the city was small and quaint but when the growth came and the population grew, now at 40,000, all of that changed. But with Duluth we cant wish for the little shops, unique restaurants and for people to know you by name becuase Duluth wasn't small and quaint in the past but larger, almost 30,000 people larger. So whats happened is that we have already built out for those stores and the extra people but now some of those places are sitting vacant. But I do get what you are saying Wood & Creek, if Duluth use to be like Stillwater I am sure others and I would not be wishing for stores like we are. But also I think the reason we are so wrapped around getting the chains up here in Duluth, unlike you are with Stillwater, is becuase of the distance between the cities from each of our cities. Duluth is hours while Stillwater is basically in the cities so it was always planned that one day Stillwater would be included in the cities growth, it was only time. But I do see what you are saying. Thanks so much for your opinion Wood & Creek.

[roneb]

Duluthian2008 and Wood&Creek, you both make some good points here. Duluth did go through an extended economic downturn (it's still recovering!) that left it with a lot of available space for development if the city would loosen up a little and make it easier for new businesses. It's not like you have to go into pristine woods or spoil a view. There are plenty of places along Central Entrance or Garfield/the west side that would look a lot better with some development.

Then again, Duluth's not immune just because its bigger to start. Out here in Portland there is a lot of development that could be viewed as good OR bad. The urban growth boundary they put around the city means it's easy to get out to the country, but space is at a big premium here. The net result is every section within the growth boundary that did have forest on it (some of which was still old growth!) is being rapidly clear cut and replaced with cookie cutter McMansion sub developments. Because property taxes are going so high, any big old lots with classic houses on them are subdivided and end up with four houses stacked right on top of each other. Portland is still a beautiful place, but it's changing and Duluth is now closer to the kind of city I'd prefer to live in.

[newcastle]

I agree, development must be sustainable and development is not all bad. Duluth must encourage growth in the city limits and increase its tax base.

The city has completed its comprehensive plan, its building and zoning codes are being reviewed for modernization, and just this week, the Building Office was reshuffled in order to promote a more business friendly and customer service focus/attitude. Instead of six weeks for permits to be approved, the wait should drop closer to two. Most permits are approved very quickly. It is the larger projects that they hope to streamline and reduce wait time.

Duluth has also preserved huge sections of land that most cities of its size and larger only dream about having. This has happened largely as a result of tax forfieted land during Duluth's long decline. Thanks to the decline, Duluth has the St. Louis River Estuary at over 12,000 acres, Magney-Snively Park, and Hartely Field. Duluth has over 11,800 acres of city parks (the St. Louis Estuary is a Nature Conservation) and 129 public city parks and playgrounds.

I think the city can keeps its green wooded feel and include new development at the same time. I don't understand why everything is so contentious around here.

[duluthian2008]

Duluth definently can keep its green space while adding development. I mean there is so much large commercial land for sale around the Miller Hill Mall but no one is buying. I know for a fact of two 36 acre spaces that are just waiting to be bought. Holappa owns both and no one is looking at them, let alone they are the corners of Arrowhead and Haines and one right next to Sams Club. Now with all of the retail development in Hermantown I am so surprised that the land next to Sams Club has not been bought and turned into so kind of large box with small strip centers. I really dont get it. Duluth and Hermantown really need to find something to attract retailers that we dont have yet.

[CrystalIce]

It's hard to get new large businesses up to Duluth because people here don't spend money. It's well known that Duluth is about 3 years behind the Cities. People here look for deals and wait for sales and a lot of the bigger box stores know that and won't come to an area that discount shops. Also a lot of companies such as Williams-Sonoma base new store locations on where requests for catalogs come from and the more requests and purchases from that area will decide if they want to set up a store in that town. So if you want a store here, start requesting catalogs and start spending money.

[duluthian2008]

Crystal Ice do you know any new retailers coming to Duluth?

[brandy77]

There is a new radio station 92.1. Another 80's station. There are about six 80's stations in Duluth now. Duluth is completely stuck in the 80's. This place sucks but I love the recreation and that's why I stay for now. Great mountain biking and hiking.

[CrystalIce]

No new ones that haven't alreay been talked about. There are always businesses scouting our area, but I don't think a lot of them like what they see. I know there were some bigger names looking to come up here and what they do is drive around and look at the vehicles and license plates as one criteria.