Sunday's Journal-Gazette had an article relating to the (much-neglected) Southern part of Fort Wayne (my neck of the woods), and showing increased "interest" in further retail development.
Now you would think I'd be happier than a pig in you-know-what, but I approach this with quiet caution. Sure, we NOW have a Menards AND a Wal-Mart (after seven LONG years of "wheeling and dealing", but let's all not get ahead of ourselves. Certainly these two "big boxes" are a boon to this "blighted" part of the city...hell almost ANYTHING would be a godsend at THIS point (except more Section 8 / HUD housing and more liquor stores).
The latest development is being proposed along US 27 and Ferguson Road south of the current Southtown Centre and would be called SOUTHBRIDGE CENTRE (what's with the "RE" in the word CENTRE instead of "ER" anyway? Is it supposed to make us believe it's "classier" spelled that way?), and would include strip malls on the 49 acre site.
MY "gut" reaction is to think we're going to have even MORE athletic shoe stores, ethnic clothing stores, chicken 'n rib joints, music stores catering to only hip-hop, rent-a-centers all over, more dollar stores, and sundry auto "accessory" stores (spinner rims anyone?), when stores that NEED to be placed there should consist of BOOK stores, farm-related stores (lots of farms still nearby), a card and stationary store, a REAL music/video store, and maybe even a sporting goods store that caters to ALL sports (not just "Bassaball"). You see where I'm going with this? If you want viablity down here AGAIN, you have GOT to attend to the needs of EVERYONE, and not some "select faction" of the populace. If this part of town indeed DOES boast the SECOND HIGHEST buying power of the entire city, maybe we should go more "upscale" with retail venues.
Another concern I have with more retail is whether or not the retailers KNOW about why businesses "went away" in the first place with Southtown Mall. It was thanks in no small part to CRIME. And unfortunately, we STILL have that in abundance down here. I wonder what retailers coming here will think about the robberies, the thefts, the break-ins, and whatever else the mooks have in store for the "new" kids on the (retail) block? Will we wind up with ANOTHER Southtown Mall in the next 10 years, after these potential businesses leave? It'll be Deja-Vu all over again, and we know who we can "thank" for it.
The crime issue needs to be addressed..NOW, with assurances that it will not hinder the progress being made down here with retail. Crime was (and still is) a large part of the undoing of southside retail, and we sure don't want to be part and parcel to it again.
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