As we have been reporting for months, Westlake Plaza has remained without a grocery store anchor that is required by the city’s general plan, since May of 2006. Earlier this year it looked like the group and the owner of the property had reached a deal with the Delanos, owners of a small Bay Area chain of stores to bring a roughly 11,000 square foot grocery store to the vacant store. However, that deal fell through when the owner apparently pulled an offer for down payment on the funding.
When Food Fair left in 2006, the owners caused considerable damage to the site, filling in the cargo bay and stripping out all of the infrastructure within the store (see photos taken in early April).
Moreover, given the financial situation of the Davis right now, the city has limited resources by which to make things happen. However, the resident of West Davis could probably have a store there in short order if the city were to be able to find a way to help finance the project.
Along those lines the Board of Directions of DANG (Davis Advocates for Neighborhood Grocies) have made a formal request for the city of Davis to include both the Westlake Plaza Shopping Center and East Manner Shopping Center within the city’s Redevelopment Agency boundaries.
In an email sent to the Davis City Council and Davis City Staff, DANG said:
That the Board of Davis Advocates for Neighborhood Groceries (DANG) goes on record in requesting that the Redevelopment Agency of Davis include the Westlake Plaza Shopping Center and the East Manor Shopping Center within the agency boundaries. We believe RDA status will allow additional funds and resources to be brought to bear to revitalize the shopping centers and assist both centers in being able to more effectively attract full service neighborhood grocery stores.
According to the City’s website:
The purpose of the City of Davis Redevelopment Agency is to eliminate blight in the downtown Core, Olive Drive and South Davis sub-areas through property acquisition, participation with property owners, construction of public improvements and providing low- and moderate-income housing as authorized by state law.
While these two areas clearly fall outside of the current agency boundaries (see map below), they clearly are falling into the category of blight.
One needs only look at the pictoral evidence from April 1 to see the blight.
While the city’s general fund could not afford to finance this project, the city’s Redevelopment Agency could do so easily. There is some indication that the city intended to consider this proposal, but it is early speculation at this point. It appears that the majority on the council, perhaps the entire council, is supportive of working to bring a grocery to West Davis.
The bottom line here is that the city has dragged its feet on this issue for three years now. They made Trader Joe’s coming to Davis a major priority but have allowed a huge building, actually two if you include East Davis Manor, to remain unoccupied. The other tenants are experiencing economic and financial problems as the result of the vacated anchor. It is time for the city to step in and this is a good way for them to do so. However, we expect this proposal to be met with resistance from downtown who have generally opposed the use of redevelopment money for anything other than the downtown area.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Good move DANG! Hope the Council acts quickly to approve this request and realizes that downtown is not alone in the need to revitalize.
“WHAT IS REDEVELOPMENT? Redevelopment is a tool created by state law to assist local governments in eliminating blight from a a designated area as well as to achieve the goals of development, reconstruction and rehabilitation of residential, commercial, industrial and retail districts.”
WHAT IS BLIGHT? A lack of neighborhood businesses to serve residents, such as grocery stores.
Certainly Westlake Plaza meets the criteria for a redevelopment area. The vacant square footage in the shopping center is almost larger than the occupied space, and businesses leaving the center for other more business friendly locations continues. DANG has worked hard to locate an anchor grocer for the center and has come SO close – only to be stalled by circumstances beyond our control.
We believe redevelopment status will allow funds and resources to be brought to bear to revitalize Westlake Plaza – as well as the East Manor Shopping Center- and urge the City of Davis to include these two areas within their redevelopment boundaries.
I buy all my gas outside Davis now–anyone else notice that at least 3 gas stations have quietly disappeared? Valero at 5th/L street…the station at Mace/Chiles and the one at 5th/G street…ALL heavily travelled areas and yet the stations can’t make it?? Probably the result of the new CARB regulations that cost US eleven GRAND to retrofit a gas pump! Nice work folks. Anyone else notice this or can we obsess more about useless Westlake Village!?
Don’t get it,
You raise a god issue, but that does not mean that Westlake Village is not an important issue. If anything, it shows that having a grocery store in Westlake Village is an even more important issue. If we have more “neighborhood grocery stores” where we can buy locally and not have to travel as far using up more gas to buy groceries and other goods then we will be less dependent on gas.
The retrofit of old nozzles at gas pumps has to be done. Old nozzles release unhealthy toxins with every gallon that is pumped. We have to step up and hold businesses and individuals (including ourselves) accountable for the air quality.
An article in the Bee said that most gas stations “will receive extensions as long as they have made strides to comply, such as applying for financing or ordering equipment. Only those thumbing their nose at the law will be in jeopardy.”
RE:Don’t get it
I don’t know what DANG and Westlake had to do with your gas station/CARB issue? But I do see that you are apparently part of that problem . . . do you buy your groceries outside Davis too? Westlake is not “useless” . . . there are 13,000 Davis residents living west of 113 that must get in their cars to go buy their groceries. And although it may seem like an “obsession” for those that have a short attention span and a need for immediate gratification, the Westlake issue has been compounded by both the property owner’s idiosyncrasies and a tanking economy. At least DANG has had the fortitude to remain engaged and has been continually working with all parties to try and achieve an equitable solution to the problem. The only “useless” part of Westlake is the obstinate and obfuscating attitude of the property owner.
When Food Mart and Ray’s were there, the selection and prices weren’t necessarily the best in Davis, but I would buy about 20-30% of my groceries there. Mostly because I could walk there and meet neighbors. There is a value to spending a little bit more for not having to jump in the car and drive across town every time you’ve run out of some emergency item — bread, milk.
To: wdf
If we are able to get a store like Delano’s Market here, you would be able to buy at least 70%-80% of your groceries in your neighborhood. Delano’s stores although smaller in scale have an appearance and selection like Nugget . . . but lower/comparable prices, high organic content, discounts for seniors, and a [u]professional staff[/u] that recognizes their customers by name. There is still hope . . .
We just need to bring a good grocery store that has quality food and produce and it will succeed without a doubt. Delano’s Market would be wonderful for West Davis. Thank you DANG for all the work you do! We appreciate you.
“If we are able to get a store like Delano’s Market here, you would be able to buy at least 70%-80% of your groceries in your neighborhood. Delano’s stores although smaller in scale have an appearance and selection like Nugget . . . but lower/comparable prices, high organic content, discounts for seniors, and a professional staff that recognizes their customers by name. There is still hope . . .”
I think the Redevelopment idea is a good one. Keep up the pressure to get a grocery store in Westlake!
Sunday’s Enterprise lists another Westlake Tenant leaving. Teach Your Children said they got the same rent deal on a downtown location at the E Street Plaza as they were paying in Westlake. A Grocery store is gnerally the key tenant to bring traffic to a shopping center. From our review of grocery stores a 12,000 sq foot store at Westlake would generate about 1,000 customers going through the cash registers. Many people do not shop alone; parents go with spouses and kids, friends shop together and young couples shop together there are many people who daily go to the shopping center when there is a food store there. Without a neighborhood grocery store that kind of traffic drops dramatically. Westlake has no neighborhood store and no other store to draw traffic. Subsequently, the shopping center is dying and one by one the retail tenants will close down. No amount of offices will bring the traffic that the Westlake retail tenants need.
As a board member of DANG I am aware of the efforts our volunteer board has taken to attract a neighborhood store to the center. We now believe that Westlake and also Davis Manor need to be brought into the RDA. Being in the RDA will give both shopping centers access to development resources that neither is able to obtain at this time. Revitalization of the neighborhood shopping center is critical to our neighborhood economy and lifestyle.
With the growing focus on global warming and climate action the presence of a neighborhood grocery store in Westlake will be a key element in serving 13,000 people.
Incorporating the two shopping centers in the RDA will be a plus to the city and a part of the revitalization of the neighborhoods.
It is an era when the “neighborhood” is on the rebound all across the country. However, West Davis’ 13,000 population is a bedroom suburb without a center. A fifth of Davis’population seems woefully underserved. It has no grocery store, a few dying retailers, few services and no financial institution. In addition, the future of Emerson seems yet secured.
The RDA may give us a rudder from which we can steer to a better future.
We are grateful to each of the council members who have met with us. We believe the Council and City Staff will give this issue a fair hearing and we are glad that it will likely appear on the Council Agenda soon.
David Thompson, DANG Board member
I can’t see why the secure future of Emerson Junior High School should be a detriment to the West Side neighborhood. Schools are an essential focus of any strong neighborhood. Perhaps, Mr. Thompson, if you are a true West Side Neighborhood advocate you should leave the secure future of Emerson out of the equation of your arguments. Otherwise you will only confuse those whom you wish to persuade to support your side.
“In addition, the future of Emerson seems yet secured.”
–David Thompson
Dear Brian K.
My daughter went to Emerson (which we love) and now plays on the Davis Volleyball team which trains at Emerson twice a week. The Emerson district goes all the way to Oak so a lot of central Davis parents like myself travel frequently to Emerson. If there were a grocery store there then some of those parents could do shopping while there or while they drop their kids off for activities. If there were no school at Emerson then those trips would not occur. Given the school district cuts to anticipate after June and July I am not 100% sure what status Emerson might have. Emerson brings a lot of people to West Davis and I hope it stays that way
David Thompson
it has been blighted for years now. hopefully this lights a fire under the owner’s butt.
Brian K,
It seems that you answered your own question! There are certain basic elements required for “strong neighborhoods” (which I believe is what Mr. Thompson is advocating) . . . schools and access to shopping are part of the same equation. I don’t see how a reasonable person can support one and not the other . . . the confusion is yours, unless you do not see the value in a holistic approach to the problem.
With stong DaVinci enrollment at Emerson and our Lamppost Pizza, there is hope. Thanks, DANG.
Farwester:
Hard to tell what Mr. Thompson believes from what he wrote:
“In addition, the future of Emerson seems yet secured.”
–David Thompson
Why even bring up Emerson and say its future seems “yet unsecured.”? If, as he says, he’s an advocate for a strong West Side neighborhood? Leave perhaps this positive news for a separate comment extolling the virtues of the West Side neighborhood.
Unless, he made a typo, and meant “unsecured”? Either way, the word “secured” is imprecise in this case. Since it implies some unnamed party will or will not ensure the security of the school. Could he have meant “uncertain”?
Re-opening the geo boundaries of the City’s current RDA is a very complicated issue. The legal definition of “blight” has changed over time, and the latest operative definition may actually hurt the city’s abilities to use the RDA effectively.
I strongly recommend that the CC ask the City Attorney for a legal memo opinion on the pros and cons of reopening the RDA area and adding the shopping area.
That said, the subject shopping center is certainly blighted, under any practical definition.
It is awful, and embarrassing, that our City put so much effort into trying to squeeze Trader Joes into a totally inappropriate space, forced through the “Target” shopping center at Mace and Second Street (what a dinosaur, an auto-focused strip mall as the introduction to our city from the East!), and failed to get a grocery back into the East 8th St shopping center.
P.S. To the owner of the shopping center: You have deliberately let that place fall apart. If I had the 3 votes on the CC, I would institute condemnation proceedings and take it from you for the benefit of the greater community, unless you followed a strict timeline and undertook the necessary repairs to bring it back to a good basic level, and put a grocery back into that space.
Mike – love your PS to the Westlake owner. If there is a problem with reopening the RDA, then let the condemnation process begin . . . immediately!!! The Slumlord Millionaire might finally get motivated!