The northeast corner of James and Midler, known as “the old Steak and Sundae” or “Wittigs Ice Cream”, has been sitting for some time, being allowed by its owner to rot and bring our property values down. “Family” Video is bringing a proposal to the TNT meeting on Monday evening (March 22, 7:00 pm, Huntington Elementary School, on Sunnycrest at Forest Hill). I’m guessing that most of this blog’s readers can now tell exactly what is wrong with all three proposed site plans. (If not, read over the James Street Overlay District Zoning Standards.)
The “Family” Video representative wrote the following and sent the site plans to the developer, who sent them to me for blogging so the community can weigh in on the issue. The developer, Stephen Skinner, has indicated that he is solidly pro-guidelines and neutral on “Family” Video.
Attached are three site plans for consideration. The 7/14/08 model would be our preferred site plan, with the building in the rear corner of the lot. We are willing to consider a compromise that would turn the building 90 degrees and have the right side of the building adjacent to the sidewalk on James St. This is a significant change from our preferred prototype. We did this in Rome, but only after the City of Rome offered a significant amount of financial contribution toward the facade improvement.Let’s hope we can get the same support here.
"Family" Video's preferred plan (7-14-08)
Compromise 1
Compromise 2
What’s wrong with these pictures?
Your comments, please.
I’ll be writing tomorrow with more information on what kind of company “Family” Video is and how it actually makes money in a world where video is fast giving way to online and cable sources.
I see that, among other things, they will have to apply for a variance to add another curb cut on James Street, within 50-100 feet of the major James Street intersection.
I, for one, find that totally unacceptable.
Is this a Family Video store or a big, fat parking lot with a Family Video somewhere inside. Yikes, this is not cool.
Also, with all we hear about Netflix and RedBox taking over the rental industry, why/how does Family Video stay in business/endlessly open up new stores???
Why not try visiting the cinema and utilizing your already spent tax dollars at your local library to enjoy films? You can get any of the hundreds and thousands of DVD/VHS/Blu-Ray disks available sent right here to our local Paine Branch on Nichols Ave from any library in the system. Plus, you can access a database to link you to libraries world-wide for those hard to find films. Will you get every single title you want? Probably not, but it’s worth a shot. WE DON’T NEED A FAMILY VIDEO THAT’S NOT ACTUALLY CONCERNED WITH THE FAMILIES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.