Kroger vs Toledo

Last decaded, Carty (and FOC) tangled with the Westgate property owner and her plans to redevelop that site. We'll never know how close it got for that whole project imploding, but I think that Westgate was a couple whiskers away from becoming an empty lot for several years, thanks to Carty.

Carty did not want Costco. He and some hacks had other plans for the property that they did not own. Thankfully, the property owner won. And now Carty admits to visiting Fresh Market at Westgate.

Liz Holland, the Westgate property owner, needed a committed anchor before proceeding with the redevelopment. Costco agreed, but Costco wanted an exemption from the city, regarding Toledo's living wage issue.

Carty opposed the Costco exemption. Without the exemption, Costco was going to back out of the project. Without Costco or any other big-ass anchor, Holland was not going to redevelop Westgate.

Allegedly, Whole Food was briefly interested in Westgate, but eventually, the company walked away. It seemed that Holland did not have a backup to Costco. It was either Costco or no project.

The other sticking point back then involved the new Westgate plans versus the city's 20/20 plan or master plan, something like that. Carty threatened to sue Holland's group. If it had gone to court, Holland said that Costco could have bailed on the project, and without Costco, she would not have proceeded with redevelopment.

We know that some business owners are content with letting their properties sit empty until the city's business and political climates improve.

Westgate was demolished in 2006, and the first new businesses opened in 2007. It's possible that the redevelopment and success of Westgate ignited the new development that has occurred along Secor, between Central and Monroe.

Wild guessing, but if Carty had gotten his way, the Westgate redevelopment may have been pushed back at least 5 to 7 years.

Carty deserves to be heard but not heeded.

Last decade and this decade too, the Westfield/Franklin Park mall underwent significant redevelopment, which, apparently, has improved the mall experience. And that may have helped ignite other development along Talmadge, Sylvania, and Monroe.

But I don't think that Toledo politicians led the Franklin Park mall redevelopment. Sometimes, Toledo politicians are bulwarks.

Granted, traffic may be gnarly at times on Central, Secor, Sylvania, Monroe, and Talmadge in West Toledo, but I assume that Toledo is collecting more tax revenue, thanks to the Franklin Park Mall and Westgate redevelopments projects.

It's seems that the Kroger-Sisters of Notre Dame issue bubbles up about every month. Obviously, Kroger wants the new site. They seem tenacious. I would be surprised if Kroger is defeated on this issue.

And in my opinion, trees and traffic are invalid reasons to oppose Kroger's plans. The area already has traffic, which is good because that's what I expect in a city that's not totally dead.

As to the trees, I had no idea that the Sisters' property was an extensive forest. Maybe it should be sold or given to the Nature Conservancy.

We have city parks and the Metroparks. The Sisters' property is not as interesting as Ottawa Park and Greenwood Park.

Carty's opposition validates Kroger's position.