Quote:
Originally Posted by miaht82
Can we get rid of all those probation offices on Dolorosa?
I hate walking down that street with everybody waiting to see their PO's. Perhaps that is where the SAPD headquarters should go, a couple of blocks over from where it is now or in that empty lot in front of the detention center to hide it; then build the Federal building where the old HQ's is at; that way the old Kmart lot could be used for something useful in the downtown area like a grocery store?
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They are already a couple months into building a new Bexar County Probation center/offices/HQ across from the current jail (Bexar Co. Detention Facility). Dunno what's gonna happen with their current offices. The city does not own the building, but leases it. That building has seen some hard use over it's life, but I'm not familiar enough with it to say if it's remotely arch. significant. Either way, hopefully someone will do something worthwhile with the building or the site.
I'm all for a downtown grocery store, but let's not be so tied to existing structures. Just because the K-Mart was a 'big box' facility does not mean that's the only place a grocer could go in. Additionally, I don't think a grocery store that would go in would want a space that big. Evidenced by the fact that it's been sitting empty this long. HEB and others aren't stupid. I'd say HEB is about as good as it gets when it comes to knowing what stores would be profitable in which locations. Clearly the market wont bear it yet- last week they just closed the South Presa store- the only remaining 'traditional' store in the downtown area bounded by 10/35/37. They also arent gonna put a store in out of the goodness of their heart, cause that's not what they do, no matter how cool we think it would be or how much we think it would add to the quality of life in DT. They, or someone will go in when it makes financial sense. We're all just gonna have to wrap our heads around that and live with it for a while.
That having been said, I'd like to contradict myself and say I think there is an opportunity for HEB to explore an "HEB Pantry" store concept somewhere in the DT or near DT area. It just seems that here of late they are so concerned with the SuperHEB or HEBPlus concept in SA they can't/wont focus on anything else. I beleive their current strategy is to be competitive with Wal-Mart and SuperTarget by fighting that battle here in SA on those terms. Cause it seems lately, that's all they are building. I haven't been paying attention, but I can't remember when the last time HEB opened a new, regular store that wasn't an HEBPlus.