August
28, 2018
Forget dedication of the old, focus on the new: A frustrating and common theme in our city …
Business Owner Chris Schultz must
sue the City to get them to do the right thing. It’s issues like this that make
it hard for people to support City Government.
City Manager Brent Trout has taken exception to comments made during a County Commission meeting that implied Topeka is “going
backwards”. As City Manager he should come to the City’s defense and point out the
forward momentum Topeka has working for it. But in the process, you can’t
ignore and not want to talk about the struggles our City faces.
Time and time again, that seems to
be the approach. Want to discuss a problem our city faces? You are "being
negative and ignoring all the good" is the response. It’s become an
all too common response from City leaders who hope if we don’t talk about
problems or fully acknowledge them, they will either go away or can be minimized.
As a lifelong Topeka, I can fully support
and champion our progress and positives as a city while also recognizing we
have serious problems that need addressed. You do not have to pick one over the
other, and in fact, if you do, you will fail to solve our problems or make
progress.
Chris Schultz’ lawsuit against the City is an example of where the City had a hand in harming his downtown business, but refuses to correct it, in the hopes that it, and Chris, will go
away, and instead we can all focus on the wonderful new businesses in Downtown.
Forget dedication of the old, instead
focus on the new: A frustrating and common theme in our city.
In this case, it seems simple: the
city engaged the work that was done, and therefore is the primary responsible
party. If they have issues with those they contracted to do the work, that is
between them and those they contracted. And, let's not forget, these
contractors and the City all have insurance that should cover these
problems.
I understand, and sympathize, that the City
does not want to accept responsibility for every little thing, because
it can lead to cases brought forward that are not legitimate. But in this
case, and in cases where old water pipes owned by the City explode and ruin a home, the City should stand up and take responsibility because they do have a
part to play.
Many of us know owners in downtown who had various issues caused during this work downtown, but in some
cases businesses could afford to repair the damage or own buildings that are
empty and just don’t care.
The City has left Mr. Schultz, a man
whose business has stayed strong when there was little else in Downtown, no
other option then to take them to court. I fully support the City in
instances where they have no fault, but that support comes with an
understanding they must be called out and taken to task when they are
responsible.
For all the incentives we taxpayers
are providing those who already have means, our City needs to support small
business owners working hard to keep the doors open, especially when City work
causes harm.
August 8, 2018
Mall
Its Own Worst Enemy …
It
has been revealed Washington Prime, owner of West Ridge Mall, has lumped theTopeka mall with two other properties and reclassified them, indicating theyare not core properties of the company. The two other malls are in foreclosure.
This
does not bode well for the future of the largest structure on Wanamaker Road,
and primary reason that 30 years ago shopping was pulled from Downtown into the
Wanamaker corridor.
We
all know malls are struggling across the country. The buildings, once important
cultural gathering spots, have been on the decline for years. The villains behind
this decline range from increased online shopping to corporations wanting their
own brick-and-mortar to mall owners being slow to react to changes in shopping
habits.
All
of that has had an impact on West Ridge Mall and should be considered. BUT…
The
current owners of West Ridge Mall deserve substantial blame for their current
woes. For years, they have refused to change with the times. They have, for reason
illogical as they are frustrating, have simply believed if they continue to
operate business as usual, society would come back around to them and things
would be fine.
Among their issues:
·
They
don’t market the property. So many Topekans have not been in the mall for so
long they can’t tell you what stores there are. That’s poor marketing, not just
in advertising but in bringing events to the facility to attract customers.
·
They
have regularly refused to adjust rent rates to fit the marketplace. Instead of
working with local businesses on rates that ensure those businesses can
succeed, while also helping the Mall’s bottom line, they ask for rates that are
too high for local businesses in the market, chain stores move away from mall
properties.
·
Other
malls have redesigned exteriors to include a mix of stores with outside entrances.
This attracts those who want to shop at that store, but maybe think they do not
want to enter the mall. Over time, this lures shoppers back into the larger
facility.
·
They
are slow to react! The owners have been talking about turning the facility into
a mixed-use space for a long time now. Yet, nothing has taken place to put this
plan into action. This would mean adding other businesses and attractions, such
as doctors’ offices, fitness centers, etc.
The
loss of West Ridge Mall as a viable facility on Wanamaker would be a blow to
Topeka. Whether you like the area or not, the reality is having that building sitting
empty would be a terrible blight and economic detriment.
This
news seems to indicate we are headed down that path. It would be ideal if
someone can purchase the property and put forth viable changes. Hopefully, current
owners are willing to sell off the property at minimal cost to unburden it from
their books, and a new developer can make some of the changes other malls are
making that lead to prosperity.
Am
I a mall lover? Not really. But we have it, it’s big, and we need to work to
ensure it does not become a blighted albatross.
Full
Disclosure: my brother owned a business that was in West Ridge Mall for several
years. Our family has firsthand experience working with the current owners.