On January 6, 2009 a letter was sent to Mayor Beryl Rothschild from Waterway Gas and Wash Company:
The letter states:
"Dear Mayor Rothschild: It is with regret that I must inform you that Waterway Gas ad Wash Company wishes to withdraw its application for zoning for the property located at 2216 Warrensville Center Road, University Heights, OH. The demands of those in opposition to our development have simply overwhelmed Waterway, and we have terminated our contract with the landowners. As I stated at our very first meeting, and still firmly believe, this location would have been a positive development both for the residents of University Heights and Waterway. I am sorry we could not bring the plan to fruition.
We wish all the best to you and those in your community, and hope to cross paths again with all who have worked so hard to support Waterway.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Goldman
Vice President, General Counsel
Waterway Gas and Wash Company"
So, it is over.
Many things could be said, but the most important ones are the thanks that go to all who helped to support this cause.
To the three generous, dedicated lawyers, to the residents that actively invested time and energies in researching, evaluating, analyzing all the possible consequences of the implementation of an operation like Waterway on a road as busy as Warrensville Center Road.
Kudos to the merchants that sustained our cause, and helped us by letting us distribute fliers into their shops, and posted them in their windows. Thank you also for talking to your customers about it, thus raising awareness.
Finally, we want to thank our Council members that listened and realized the problems Waterway would have imposed on the residents of Lansdale and Bushnell Rds.: i.e. continued high noise levels throughout the carwash hours of activity,
and, consequently, decreased quality of life for the residents of these streets. They also evaluated the effects of the increased traffic load on Warrensville Ctr. Rd.
To all of you that have been commenting on this blog, it may be true that we do not have a sound sense of business, but it is also true that the people out there that should, don't as well.
There has been a proposal to expand the property to make a medical building, that nobody would have opposed, and it was denied. It could have been worked out, but it was denied.
There had been an offer to purchase the property to do the "cultural shopping center" you were making fun of, and it wasn't taken seriuosly, now we don't have Davis Bakery, Abba's, Empire Kosher Chicken, the Judaic Bookstore, and many more that have been driven out of this community. We could have had local businesses that people loved and supported, and instead we keep looking for businesses that do not care if they have to pack up and go, leaving empty spaces like Tops... Who do you think is being more myopic? Is the lack of greater vision, is the philosophy of better few dirty dollars now and who cares what happens later better than planning? If that is what it means to be naive and to not have business vision, we are glad we lack it, because keeping going in that direction is the best way to ensure that the City will keep sinking. Do you see what is happening at Cedar and Taylor? Wasn't that a nice development too? University Square? How many do we need? Isn't it about time that we support the good businesses that people around here are willing to support, care about, and get to know?
We fought the expansion of JCU, the strongest business we have, the one we should have fought to help grow, for 27 years, how myopic is that?
Sorry guys, we keep missing your point.
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9 comments:
from anon1
How interesting.... well let's think a bit about some of your comments.
1. University Square. TOPS is gone. Oh my. I would note that before the center was developed the city received income tax etc from Kaufman's and what else. Start counting what is still there -- and thank your lucky stars that they are in this economy. TJMAX, Pier 1(which will go if chain goes under), Famous Footware, Target, Applebee's, JoAnn's and we retained Macy's. I am amazed at how willing people are in UH to just make negative statements and refuse to acknowledge that we are better off than we were. Could we improve beyond that -- yes but at least acknowledge what is going on that is positive.
2. Cedar Taylor... why isn't it a good shopping center yet? Are you talking about something else? Yes there are openings, but again it is retail in a terrible retail economic setting. It there something else that you are complaining about there?
3. JCU-- "prevented their growth"? It takes two to tangle. JCU maintains a history of being all over the place. I guess now that your noise problem is resolved, the issues revolving around the stadium noise are just residents being obstructionists. JCU overbuilt in terms of the Dolan Center... and could have used some of those dollars to do other things. So please, do NOT attempt to say that the city is the sole problem. JCU tends to hire consultants (good ones at a high price) to advise them and then they refuse to consider and implement results. Think about this... JCU says that underground parking is too expensive but they can buy Temple Emanu El with no difficulty and continue to buy houses around the edges of the university.
4. Was it the city that eliminated the multicultural center or was it the property owner? My bet is that the money offered from Waterway exceeded what the other options were to generate. So, in a capitalist society,. you want the owner to take less money for what you feel is a good idea? (Don't get me wrong it would have been nice -- but again the dollar rules)
5. I would be careful about believing that council is the savior. If they had been offered something that generated enough in income to justify resident upset, they would have applied business principles without batting an eye.
Let's not forget the monster lawsuit lurking from the property owner that had a buyer and was told no by our great council . Let's hope these Lawyers work for free on that case . We all know in this economy no one will buy this building for what Waterway would of paid for it this year . Nice job No Gas , more taxes to pay for nothing in return .
from anon1
Sound ominous ... but who would they sue? the city... Waterway.... NOGAS?
Apparently, the proposal for the Jewish minimall was refused lomg before Waterway, and without an offer even or ever being discussed. It was refused when no Waterway money were in the horizon. Dr. Senders (way more profitable for the City than Waterway: remember 1 manager that pays taxes for Waterway was all the income we were gonna get) was sent to South Euclid long before Waterway.
BTW: Waterway withdrew its proposal, City Council didn't say no, they told them to redefine their terms, in account to the fact that the operation was too noisy. The owners cannot sue the City, they didn't refuse the operation, they offered them the continuance to better their proposal, there is no ground for a law suit.
As for JCU, it's true that things can always be done better and in a more considerate way, and I support the residents concerned about noise, lights, and traffic. But, in the past years, if instead of simply opposing JCU the City would have been able to work with them, analyzing everything, working together, tried to find solutions rather than being such enemies, we wouldn't be where we are now. I think that alienating your enemies makes them more mad. What I am saying is that you are right it takes two, but in politics one should be able to look both ways and be able to allow the building of the Dolan center, but getting something in return. Trying to tell JCU that they can build some of the parking lot they need, but spare something else. A little give and take, or loose it all, like it's happening now...
From Anon 1 Ok so who rejected the Jewish minimall? The city? The property owner? (My bet is the property owner.) If the property owner, then something that apparently you do NOT know or do not care to share completely killed the deal. If this is the Dr Sender that built on Green, the property that he used is substantially larger than the site in UH. Was this a matter of not working with him? Or that he needed more land. To my knowledge the city tends to be careful before using eminent domain to take houses, and as noted by waterway, they could not work a deal to buy one of the houses behind the site. (Oh and a gentle correction on your waterway comment…. They did have other employees, all of them pay taxes… and then there is the city share of the sales tax etc.) Best to be as accurate as possible here otherwise people make comments based on half the information.
As for the lawsuit item… well let’s let the other poster address that…. Note my question about it. I do think that Waterway really can’t sue but what about the property owner….
Now, let’s move on to JCU. You say the city just opposed the university but are you really sure of that? It takes two and JCU tends to give demands without consideration of what the city wants. From what I have heard, when the city and JCU were discussing their abandoned master plan, they were told that some of the houses needed to be sold back on the open market. JCU refused outright. So who was not trying to work with them? I do not know who you are getting your information from but someone is distorting some of what has happened in the past. The Kewick Rd residents made a good proposal to council regarding what they thought should happen and council ignored them. Perhaps you were unaware that even a local community group like yours took the time to do substantial (and very accurate research) and came up with a sound plan to proceed. So please, get all of the facts before you go out on that limb.
"they were told that some of the houses needed to be sold back on the open market."
How about the city demand you sell YOUR house in this lousy down market? Whatever happened to the concept of PRIVATE PROPERTY? If someone other than JCU wants to dictate the disposition of property JCU owns, come up with a price JCU likes and buy it from them.
The same anti-property, anti-capitalism, collectivist, statist thinking that drove away Waterway's investment capital would like to destroy JCU by keeping the university from growing. Everybody wants to live in a 150% residential community but no one wants to foot the bill.
fom Anon 1
How would I like that Brian? Probably not much but I am also NOT asking the city to rezone areas, agree to changes in uses and placement of drives etc that will affect the ability of other residents to enjoy their property. So pardon the city for trying to do a little dealing here.
I can think of a lot of uses that someone might want to put on Warrensville if we rezoned it commercial all along the JCU area and I would bet that JCU would fight a lot of them. However right now the zoning is residential so before any change can be made it is perfectly appropriate to consider the whole site.
You and a few others seem to think that the city is somehow "limiting" JCU's growth. The reality is that Sasaki - a national company considered to be an expert and one of the top ones in university and college planning - was hired by JCU to do a master plan. When they did their evaluation they recommended that JCU target and cap enrollment at 4,000. When you have tuition that runs as high as 28,000 a year, you have a small group of individuals to draw from and in view of the tier that JCU competes with this was realistic. Of course with the current economic conditions, what is happening is that a lot of students are moving down in cost which may put more pressure on JCU to even reach that amount.
Sasaki also reported that actually Dolan was overbuilt and that JCU actually can handle 4,000 students without increasing their footprint by that much by making some internal changes. Sasaki is an expert firm and has the credentials that I would think neither you or I have. Of course, we also as apparently JCU choose to do can ignore or discard the advice of those with more experience in that area.
I find it very interesting that someone is working really hard to put out that UH has been "limiting" JCU growth. Seems to be the thought of the day around the area. Must mean that someone on UH council has some plans - the Mayor sure hasn't changed her tune.
The Waterway deal was different than what is currently going on with JCU. There the discussion was more on what could go on an already zoned site, than changing the zoning to fit what someone wanted to do.
How would I like that Brian? Probably not much but I am also NOT asking the city to rezone areas, agree to changes in uses and placement of drives etc that will affect the ability of other residents to enjoy their property.HOW DO YOU KNOW? How can you be so sure that ALL your neighbors like EVERYTHING you do on your property? Maybe your choice of draperies impacts their ability to enjoy their property - after all this is the era where FEELINGS are all important and the basis for so many civil and criminal penalties being imposed.
Heck, maybe someone finds the enjoyment of their property impeded by any number of their neighbors' activities or characteristics - let's face it, because Americans are often petty and small minded.
I can think of a lot of uses that someone might want to put on Warrensville if we rezoned it commercial all along the JCU area and I would bet that JCU would fight a lot of them. Doubtful - universities typically are surrounded by a more "open minded" retail mix than any other entity.
However right now the zoning is residential so before any change can be made it is perfectly appropriate to consider the whole site.JCU hasn't asked for any zoning changes that I'm aware of.
Sasaki also reported that actually Dolan was overbuilt and that JCU actually can handle 4,000 students without increasing their footprint by that much by making some internal changes.Sure, by looking like CSU. Maybe students want some green space.
Sasaki is an expert firm and has the credentials that I would think neither you or I have. That and $4 will get them a cup of Starbucks' finest.
Of course, we also as apparently JCU choose to do can ignore or discard the advice of those with more experience in that area.A consultant is someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is and then keeps your watch. JCU has been running a university for how long? The Jesuits have been in that business for CENTURIES. How many universities has Sasaki actually run? From how many universtiy management decisions have they been forced to live with the consequences? ZERO - they collect their fee for their vaunted advice, and then skip town.
I find it very interesting that someone is working really hard to put out that UH has been "limiting" JCU growth. Impeding would be a better word, city officials and activists have made it clear that they don't want to lose ANY traditional single family residential ground. They've gone so far as to suggest JCU move to Geauga County.
I LOVE WATERWAY!! Leawood, KS! 3 years.. You don't know what a great company you all missed out on.
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