Ogden: the Junction City mega thread

[ski_steve]

Ogden plans development along river

OGDEN (AP) — The city of Ogden is planning a development along the river featuring shops and restaurants.

City officials say the riverwalk project along the Ogden River would be pedestrian-friendly and would complement a Wal-Mart Supercenter store being planned for downtown. The Wal-Mart is expected to open in late 2009 or early 2010.

Ogden Planning Manager Greg Montgomery says the plans for the riverwalk haven't been submitted and it's not clear when construction would begin.

The riverwalk project and Ogden Shores development — which is to feature townhouses, apartments, lofts, shops and restaurants — would together be part of a proposed downtown redevelopment plan called Renaissance Village.

http://deseretnews.com/article/0,5143,705257775,00.html

[wrendog]

^^^ Everything sounded amazing until the mention of a Walmart anchor.

[Utaaah!]

Originally Posted by wrendog

^^^ Everything sounded amazing until the mention of a Walmart anchor.

I am certainly no fan of Wal-Mart -- in fact, one of their photo kiosks fried my camera's memory card on Saturday -- but I think that this neighborhood will need reasonably priced convenience and food items to fully meet the needs of its residents. If done right -- although I have little faith in Wal-mart to do so -- the store could provide a valuable shopping option to the community and enable it to become more insular. In addition, Ogden has coveted Wal-Mart's sales tax dollars for a long time as new supercenters were built along its borders in neighboring cities. Having Wal-Mart as an early anchor may finally get this oft-delayed project off the ground.

[arkhitektor]

The story in the Examiner included this site plan as well:



Like it or not, most people in America depend on Wal-Mart to feed and clothe themselves, they might as well have one conviniently located downtown instead of driving to Riverdale to buy the stuff they need.

Also, Wal-Mart will attrach other retail tenants to the area that wouldn't consider locating there without an anchor such as Wal-Mart.

[SLC Projects]

Yes! another freaking Wal-Mart.

Oh speaking of the River project did any of you guys hear about the crazy lady up their who set fire to a few of those empty houses in that area? Once they found out she was the one behind it she told police that she just wanted to see this project more forward. LOL

[Future Mayor]

I absolutely hate Wal-Mart, yet I realize that there are many people out there that shop there. I am not going to force my hatred of the store onto others, I won't shop there but I don't care if others do.

As for the proposed layout, I do have to say that considering the fact that a Wal-mart is part of the development it does address the river nicely. While the store is part of the overall project it does not dominate the area directly facing the river. So if it has to be there, this isn't a horrible layout in my opinion.

[scottharding]

I like this project as well, and I'd totally burn down a few old buildings to see it move forward!
I don't care for Wal-mart either, but they don't seem to be much of a blemish in this particular project.
I'm glad to see good things happening in Ogden. They've had an impressive last few years. I hope it continues. I've always liked Ogden, and I really want to see it return to its glory days as Utah's second city.

[ctobsl]

Wouldn't this project take away from what they are trying to do in the Downtown Ogden mall area?

In my own opinion, I think it would do what the Newgate mall ( I think that's what the name of it is) did to the old downtown malls.

What do you guys think?

Anthony

[arkhitektor]

I think that a development like this has the potential to help downtown become more livable. There is certainly retail in DT Ogden now, and more being added at The Junction, but most of this is restaurants, gift shops, galleries, antiques stores and the like. If I lived downtown and needed groceries, tube socks, to pick up a presciption, to get a haircut, rent a movie, etc., I'd have to leave downtown to find these stores/services. Having them in a development like this is a much better alternative and makes DT a better place to live.

[urbanboy]

Should this community be concerned about having a wal-mart so close to the river? Where will the runoff (from rain on that vast parking lot) go? will it contaminate the river? will there be an outdoor garden center wherein bags of pesticide are laying out on wooden pallets, and should it rain, the pesticides that have fallen on the ground are then washed into the river? This has happened with other wal-marts around the nation. I hope this concern is addressed if this development is built.

[esirhgih]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Should this community be concerned about having a wal-mart so close to the river? Where will the runoff (from rain on that vast parking lot) go? will it contaminate the river? will there be an outdoor garden center wherein bags of pesticide are laying out on wooden pallets, and should it rain, the pesticides that have fallen on the ground are then washed into the river? This has happened with other wal-marts around the nation. I hope this concern is addressed if this development is built.

Are you serious? The area is currently an industrial wasteland:



I'm pretty certain that garden center runoff is going to be the least of most people's concerns.

[delts145]

Layton: businesses keep coming


http://davisclipper.com/pages/full_story...=push&instance=home_news_1st_left&open=&


citydata.com

LAYTON — Recession or not, businesses keep moving into Layton... And it includes businesses totally new to the state.

“We’re still seeing businesses new to Utah, seeking us out, looking at Layton as a very viable place for their very first store, city economic development director Ben Hart.

.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

I think that a development like this has the potential to help downtown become more livable. There is certainly retail in DT Ogden now, and more being added at The Junction, but most of this is restaurants, gift shops, galleries, antiques stores and the like. If I lived downtown and needed groceries, tube socks, to pick up a presciption, to get a haircut, rent a movie, etc., I'd have to leave downtown to find these stores/services. Having them in a development like this is a much better alternative and makes DT a better place to live.

Everyone should take the opportunity to visit the new Walmart in Cedar Hills. In case your not acquainted with Cedar Hills, it is a beautiful community to the immediate south of the mouth of Am. Fork Canyon. This Walmart has taken a decidedly different design approach. It is much more a village type concept vs. the regular big box approach. Quality brick, ample landscaping, and an integration of surrounding small businesses and shops.

While I'm not a fan of the Walmart design in Am. Fork's Meadows Center, I have noticed a huge buildup of local businesses, coupled with national chains owned by local residents.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by delts145

Everyone should take the opportunity to visit the new Walmart in Cedar Hills. In case your not acquainted with Cedar Hills, it is a beautiful community to the immediate south of the mouth of Am. Fork Canyon. This Walmart has taken a decidedly different design approach. It is much more a village type concept vs. the regular big box approach. Quality brick, ample landscaping, and an integration of surrounding small businesses and shops.

While I'm not a fan of the Walmart design in Am. Fork's Meadows Center, I have noticed a huge buildup of local businesses, coupled with national chains owned by local residents.

The new Wal-Mart in Syracuse ins't bad either. I couldn't find any pictures of it other than these from LiveSearch and Google Maps, which don't really do it justice. The city made Wal-Mart design to their town center architectural standards. As a result, the materials and landscaping have come together well, and the new store fits nicely with the other buildings in the area:



Its not entirely successful because Syracuse has almost no pedestrian activity, but the outparcels at least try to interact with the street:



Its still a Wal-Mart, but its far better than the standard fare:


Generally, if allowed to do whatever they want, Wal-Mart will just build a blue and grey concrete block supercenter, but if pressured by municipalities to improve their aesthetic, they seem to be willing to spend money on better design if it means they can open a store. Hopefully Ogden pressures them dress the new downtown store up a bit better than they did with the supercenter on 1300 S. in Salt Lake.

[delts145]

Forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir, but learn your price points as much as possible. Often you will find that a neighboring Smiths will offer as good, if not much better deals than Wal Mart. Its pretty often that Smiths will have much better prices on beef, poultry, eggs, milk etc., But I definately shop Wal Mart regularly for great prices on many items, especially the GV brand or major labels and toiletries. Albertsons is usually a total waste of money. Frankly, I don't know how Albertsons continues to stay in business, based on their typically outrageous prices. For the most part I feel like I'm going into a convenience store whenever I stop in at Albertsons.

[arkhitektor]

We usually split our grocery shopping between Smith's and Wal-Mart. I can't imagine why anyone would shop at Albertson's either. Their stores are poorly designed, their employees are rude and their prices are a joke.

Not to turn this into a grocery store thread, but I'm excited for WinCo to open a store in Utah. One is planned for Roy, and there was an article in the Examiner this weekend about plans for another in DT Ogden.
My wife and I shopped there when we lived in Idaho because their prices were so low and we were poor college students. Their stores have a warehouse format and their prices seemed always to be lower than Wal-Mart's, especially if we bought in bulk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinCo_Foods


http://www.standard.net/live/business/141220/#

Sorry to post the entire article, but its not available online unless you are a subscriber:

WinCo Foods may build in Ogden
By SCOTT SCHWEBKE

Standard-Examiner staff [email protected]
OGDEN — A super-sized food fight may be brewing in Ogden.

WinCo Foods is considering opening a 90,000-squarefoot store at the southwest corner of 12th Street and Wall Avenue that could challenge a 143,000-square-foot Walmart supercenter planned for eight blocks away, John Patterson, the city’s chief administrative officer, confirmed.

WinCo, based in Boise, Idaho, would anchor the proposed 12th and Wall Marketplace shopping center. The company apparently isn’t afraid of being so close to the Walmart store that will be at the corner of 20th Street and Wall, said Patterson.

“They stack it (groceries) deep and sell it cheap,” said Patterson. “They like to compete with Walmart.”

Karianne Fallow, a spokeswoman for Walmart, said the company doesn’t oppose the opening of the WinCo store. “We welcome competition, because ultimately the consumer wins,” she said. The Walmart store in Ogden will sell general merchandise and groceries and is expected to open in late 2009 or early 2010.

After years of enduring urban blight along the 12th Street and Wall Avenue corridor, having two big box retailers clamoring to operate there is refreshing, Patterson said.

“It speaks well of 12th Street becoming a retail magnet,” he said.

Michael Read, a spokesman for WinCo, declined to comment on whether the company plans to operate in Ogden, but acknowledged the company will expand into Utah with stores planned in Roy, Midvale and West Valley.

As a result, city officials mentioning Ogden as a location for a WinCo store isn’t surprising, he said.

WinCo has 64 stores and about 11,000 employees in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Idaho.

The company’s Roy store will be part of a complex called Homestead Pavilion, at the southeast corner of 3500 West 6000 South.

Construction on Homestead Pavilion will begin in the first quarter of 2009, with a projected opening date in the first quarter of 2010.

WinCo successfully competes in several markets in which Wal-Mart operates, because it focuses on offering low-priced groceries, Read said.

The 12th and Wall Marketplace shopping center, encompassing about 13 acres, would be undertaken by Wright Development, based in Layton.

In addition to the WinCo store, the shopping center would feature a half-dozen or so retail businesses.

Spencer Wright, a project manager for Wright Development, said his company has options to purchase the land for the shopping center but couldn’t comment on whether negotiations are under way with WinCo because he’s bound by a confidentiality agreement. Work on the shopping center could begin in late 2009 and finish in 2010, he said.

[delts145]

That's great news for the consumer Ark and it shows the continued vibrance of the Salt Lake market for certain niche's. We just opened a new Smith's giant Marketplace yesterday. Now, I will have a new generation Wal Mart, Super Smiths and Kohlers and their many accompanying bussinesses all within five or less minutes of Highland/Alpine.

[millhouse]

It appears the wall ave walmart is going to happen. The demolition bids are out for the site.

[delts145]

Millhouse, Has there been any word as to the layout and design of that particular Wal Mart?

[millhouse]

It is my understanding that the site plans are still under design.