104 replies to this topic

[GAOnMyMind]

That's like asking a slave if he'll like to work with chains on his limbs, or under a whip. Just any job just passes the overall expense of their upkeep onto everyone, making it but welfare by business for the taxpayer to pay.

No, it's not right or even ethical.

When your health isn't 100% (which happens when you're not 20 anymore), you don't look at jobs for a quick buck. If you look at the demographics of Augusta, most are 30+ in age -- read that again -- over 30 years-old. That's the age for families, and families need jobs that pay to bring them up, properly.

What's wrong in business is thinking by paying low wages they're doing the community a service. They're not. They just pass the expense on taxpayers, because if a low wage worker can't pay for treating an illness, or basic housing, the government does.

Wrong on all accounts.

BTW, our future lies in the past. For if we don't learn from it, we're doomed to keep repeating the same mistakes (another abandoned strip mall anyone?).

Edited by GAOnMyMind, 30 January 2007 - 08:46 PM.

[PJA]

I'm not saying we don't need better jobs....but turning away lower paying jobs is not going to bring higher paying jobs.  One has nothing to do with the other.  If you look at some of the things being planned you will see that Augusta is trying to step up the job market.  There's ADP coming and an announcement of another company that is coming...plus there's loads of opportunity in the medical field and in the teaching field if you want to make a decent living.  Yes we could use more jobs and more industry....but it's not going to happen overnight and you shouldn't just pass up other opportunities because you want more.

[Pillsbury]

Buckley, on Jan 29 2007, 12:40 PM, said:

I'm surprised you are the first to notice or acknowledge this.

Thanks. I'm glad someone else notices.   I like to walk and sometimes run along the canal.  I like the fact that we have a trail that runs all the way into our downtown---it's pretty cool.   When I was a kid I used to bike from uncle's house on the Ohio Avenue at Daniel Field down to Whataburger on Broad Street, bike over the canal, go up to the pavilion, and then ride back the same way (whataburger was awesome).  

I understand things change.    But it's not right that they've totally gone in and raped the land.    And I don't really understand the big deal anyway.   There are abandoned strip malls all over this town.  Shoot, Steinmart on Washington Road would be perfect for an upscale shopping center.   But no, they want to go, tear down a bunch of trees, run away the wildlife, sell the timber, and then make money.  

I hate to sound bitter.  I really am excited that we're getting something new and nice......

[PJA]

Update on the Riverwatch project...first the bad news:

The project is going to be put on hold for about 6 to 9 months.

The good news is that it is becuase more major businesses have discussed becoming apart of this major project.  A few hotel chains and major restaurants are just some of the new businesses that have expressed interest.  The opening date is now scheduled for the beginning of 2009.

[CanukInAugusta]

PJA, on Mar 1 2007, 12:13 AM, said:

Update on the Riverwatch project...first the bad news:

The project is going to be put on hold for about 6 to 9 months.

The good news is that it is becuase more major businesses have discussed becoming apart of this major project.  A few hotel chains and major restaurants are just some of the new businesses that have expressed interest.  The opening date is now scheduled for the beginning of 2009.

2009????

Blah!!!

I drove past it last weekend; it looked like they had poured some of the pads and were getting ready to start erecting structures.

[socaguy]

I  wonder which new "major businesses" want to become a part of the Lifestyle Center.  Im all for a delay, especially if its because the size of the project will become much bigger...(maybe?)

[CanukInAugusta]

socaguy, on Mar 1 2007, 06:23 PM, said:

I  wonder which new "major businesses" want to become a part of the Lifestyle Center.  Im all for a delay, especially if its because the size of the project will become much bigger...(maybe?)

Here's the article from the Chronicle:

"The Villages at Riverwatch, an upscale lifestyle center under construction at River Watch Parkway and Interstate 20, will expand its 800,000 square foot project to include hotels, restaurants and additional retailers.

That addition will delay the second phase of the project by six to nine months as MGHerring Group, the developer behind the shopping center, negotiates tenant agreements and government approvals.
The firm would not name possible tenants.
The Villages at Riverwatch had previously announced it's major anchors as Belk, Dillard's and Starplex Cinemas."

Would a literal interpretation of the suggest that phase 1 will still open on time, but only phase 2 be delayed?

[biker815]

Augusta is long overdue for a BassPro, or even maybe a Cabela's. With this being on the interstate, and since there are no other basspro shops on I-20 in South Carolina or Georgia, (the one in atlanta is on I-85 and macon is on I-75) I think its a good shot basspro may want to build one here.

[PJA]

CanukInAugusta, on Mar 1 2007, 07:30 PM, said:

Here's the article from the Chronicle:

"The Villages at Riverwatch, an upscale lifestyle center under construction at River Watch Parkway and Interstate 20, will expand its 800,000 square foot project to include hotels, restaurants and additional retailers.

That addition will delay the second phase of the project by six to nine months as MGHerring Group, the developer behind the shopping center, negotiates tenant agreements and government approvals.
The firm would not name possible tenants.
The Villages at Riverwatch had previously announced it's major anchors as Belk, Dillard's and Starplex Cinemas."

Would a literal interpretation of the suggest that phase 1 will still open on time, but only phase 2 be delayed?

According to wjbf and wagt phase one, the land preparation etc. is complete...phase two the actual building construction is whats going to be delayed.  It's going to have to be redesigned because it will actually be bigger than originally planned.

[socaguy]

Must be something big if they have to redesign for additional retailers.  I mean they were already planning on the 2 department stores, theater, restaurants and 100 smaller stores...plus the outparcels with Dicks, etc.  Im looking forward to what Hotels will be a part of the mix too.  Im betting on a Drury Inn and perhaps the Raddison that was announced for the other side of the Parkway.

[jungletobacco]

A very sad pattern Augusta is going in everytime something developes. I dont agree with the stall...Augusta is a renowned city so if those business havent decided to come, sooner or later they will. Why are trying to fit all these store in one center? theres got to be a cut off point so we can move on. tell the business who are undecided,"yeah we have enough tenant  for the Riverwatch but we have plenty of room downtown and the Riverwalk right down the street."

[CanukInAugusta]

An alternate view:

http://blogs.augusta.com/node/779

"In the epic battle for the hearts and minds of Augusta-area shoppers, it appears that Augusta Mall is winning the war.
Sources say the mall's outdoor "lifestyle center" addition under construction at the site of the former Macy's store is sucking most of the high-end retailers away from a rival lifestyle center project at River Watch Parkway and Interstate 20.
Face it, there's only so many upscale retailers to go around. Unlike Dollar Generals and nail salons (which we can't seem to get enough of) you can't have more than one Williams & Sonoma in a market the size of Augusta.
The backers of the River Watch Parkway project, called The Village at Riverwatch, earlier this week announced they were pushing completion of the project back nearly a year, reportedly to expand the shopping center to include more stores, restaurants and a hotel with an exhibition center.
A spokesman for the developer of the Village at Riverwatch developer, however, declined to disclose potential tenants at the site other than those already named: Dillard's, Belk and Starplex Cinemas.
Could the delay and concept tweak be a sign that most upscale retailers have already committed to Augusta Mall? Some in the real estate development industry think so.The mall is owned by General Growth Properties Inc., a $3 billion real estate investment trust in Chicago that operates more than 220 malls throughout the U.S. The Village at Riverwatch project is being headed by Dallas-based MG Herring Group, which is no small potatoes, but is not in the same league as General Growth.
So when it comes to negotiating with a tenant, who do you think is carrying the bigger guns?
To be fair, the General Growth folks haven't disclosed any tenants at its lifestyle project other than Coldwater Creek and Coach. But they haven't changed their project mid-stream, either.
Perhaps Atlanta-based Cousins Properties saw the writing on the wall last year when it scuttled its plans for a lifestyle center at the intersection of River Watch Parkway and Furys Ferry Road. It later joined forces with the MG Herring Group to market the Village at Riverwatch site.
So what about the developers of the two other proposed lifestyle center-style projects in area (the Marshall Square project in Evans and the Atlanta-based Forum Development Group project on Walton Way Extension) that haven't even broke ground yet?
I'd say that if those projects make it to fruition, they're going to have a hard time finding high-end tenants -- once the mall and Riverwatch projects are finished feasting, there's not going to be anything left but scraps."

[PJA]

jungletobacco, on Mar 5 2007, 10:15 PM, said:

A very sad pattern Augusta is going in everytime something developes. I dont agree with the stall...Augusta is a renowned city so if those business havent decided to come, sooner or later they will. Why are trying to fit all these store in one center? theres got to be a cut off point so we can move on. tell the business who are undecided,"yeah we have enough tenant  for the Riverwatch but we have plenty of room downtown and the Riverwalk right down the street."

This is up to the developers of the project.  I don't see them turning away potential tenants because they are in the business to make money.  Sure they could suggest the tenants go to the riverwalk or downtown but with two other lifestyle projects set to come to the area, that is most likely where the rejected tenants would go and I don't think the developers want to help the competition.

[Pillsbury]

Oh great, so they come in, rape the land, and then change their mind?   This town is big enough and has enough nouveau riche yuppies to support a couple ofCrate and Barrels and a freaking Gucci store if they opened one up here.   What's wrong with these people?

[PJA]

I don't think they're changing their mind. It's just that several of businesses are wanting to come to the center so they are going to have to redraw plans because those businesses weren't included in the original plans.  

By the way I went to Comcast yesterday and there was still work being done on the Village.  I think that was for phase one though...no buildings built yet.

Edited by PJA, 06 March 2007 - 08:22 AM.

[CanukInAugusta]

PJA, on Mar 6 2007, 09:22 AM, said:

I don't think they're changing their mind. It's just that several of businesses are wanting to come to the center so they are going to have to redraw plans because those businesses weren't included in the original plans.  

By the way I went to Comcast yesterday and there was still work being done on the Village.  I think that was for phase one though...no buildings built yet.

ok....me confused.

Have they stopped working on Phase 1? I thought several posters here has said that the 6 to 9 month stoppage includes stopping phase 1?

[PJA]

CanukInAugusta, on Mar 6 2007, 10:04 AM, said:

ok....me confused.

Have they stopped working on Phase 1? I thought several posters here has said that the 6 to 9 month stoppage includes stopping phase 1?

Phase 1 is still going as planned but they are just about finished with phase 1.  Phase 1 just includes all of the land work, parking lot, piping etc.  Phase 2 will include the actual construction of the buildings.  That is what is on hold because they don't want to start building until the new plan is done.

[socaguy]

I really dont think Augusta has anything to worry about.  If they are still doing at least SOME work on phase 1,  they wouldnt  be even thinking about pulling out.  Why waste the extra money?  Anyone remember how long that Wheeler rd. mega big box complex (I cant even think of its name) took to get completed, even after they cleared the land originally.  Well,  it was a looooooooong time..like 4-5 years, and that is for the first buildings to start going up.  The Augusta mall expansion surely will take some of the retailers that the Villages could have had, but I dont think the expansion is really going to have a large number of stores...so there will be plenty more for the taking for the Villages.  Hell,  if 2 department stores and a Dicks sporting goods have committed, I dont think it will be too hard to draw more stores, especially when Augusta IS large enough to support more than one location of semi-upscale stores.

[socaguy]

Ahh and as for the Forum,  last weekend I saw a re-zoning sign on the property while visiting my parents nearby.  Wasnt the land already supposed to be rezoned?  My folks dont seem to think its going to happen.

[PJA]

socaguy, on Mar 6 2007, 10:15 PM, said:

Ahh and as for the Forum,  last weekend I saw a re-zoning sign on the property while visiting my parents nearby.  Wasnt the land already supposed to be rezoned?  My folks dont seem to think its going to happen.

I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't happen since work hasn't even started on it yet and it looks like the Village is getting more stores.  Now I could see the Village and the Augusta Mall having some of the same stores but not the Forum.  It's only a couple of minutes from both places but then again it depends on how many stores there are that have yet to come to Augusta.