This is an interview with Dave Christie of DJ Christie, which hopes to develop a new retail site at 24th Avenue and Industrial Road. The city commission will take action Wednesday night on whether to amend the comprehensive plan and create a tax-increment financing (TIF) district. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the Little Theater of the Civic Building, 111 E. Sixth Ave., and there will be a public hearing on the Lowe’s proposal. Christie and other representatives of the development company will be at the meeting to explain how TIF works.
Q You were at the public hearing during the zoning board’s meeting a few weeks ago. How would you address the concerns brought up by the community?
A I think most of the neighbors’ concerns were relating to the location of the development, the traffic and storm water issues. My impression was that they were excited about the prospect of a Lowe’s coming to town, they think it’ll be a good thing, they just want it somewhere else. So I think a lot of the objections are more specific to the location. We were at the city commission meeting the other day to present a plan in which we accommodate the objections of the homeowners by adding additional screening and by pointing out that their concerns are very valid. They are also very emotional. Now when there’s a development that’s 600 feet away from your house — that’s two football fields — it’s not like it’s in the middle of your backyard. So with all due respect, we think the project needs to be looked at objectively instead of emotionally. I think change is always emotional, and that makes it difficult for people to accept.
Q What effect would a Lowe’s in Emporia have on existing businesses?
A It will be good for business because it will expand the market. I opened a Home Depot three years ago in Joplin and there was already a Sutherland’s and a Lowe’s, and all three of them are still open and all three of them are doing fine. So I think it expands the market, it doesn’t decrease it. I opened a Home Depot in Hays, and if you talk to the other lumberyards there they’ll tell you they’re getting more business now than before Home Depot came there. It increases the pull factor — more people are coming to the trade area to shop because of the advertising and the fliers. Home Depot spends millions a year advertising in newspapers and sending out fliers, and Lowe’s does the same thing.
And you know, other companies there in Emporia are doing a good job and I think this will make them more competitive. The market will get larger. Everywhere I’ve developed the market gets larger because of what these projects do.
Q In light of the current economic situation, is there any possibility that Lowe’s could pull the plug on the deal? What would happen if they did?
A Well, a project is never done until the building’s built. But Lowe’s is buying the site from me and I’m doing the site work, so Lowe’s will own the site from day one. Lowe’s is building its own building, so they’ll be investing $10 million in building and land, so I don’t know that they would eventually pull the plug. These guys spend a lot of money and effort to research markets before they make an investment, before they even make a decision to put the Emporia’s of the world on the radar screen. So they don’t take it lightly. The likelihood of them backing out after the ground is purchased would be remote, and there’ll be an obligation to build and open the store, which is part of the TIF obligation. It’s not like they can just tear up the lease and walk away. It would be very poor politics and it would be very damaging to Lowe’s reputation to get the TIF and TDD and then just walk away. They would never be able to do a TIF project anywhere.
Q How would a Lowe’s benefit Emporia?
A I do a lot of small town developments, and the biggest issue is adding to the quality of life. The other night, after the planning commission meeting, there was one restaurant open in the entire community. So I guess my point is that you guys have a lot more going on in Emporia than to have limited services. If you look at Pittsburg, they’ve got services there that they never had before -- they’re getting a Staples and a Chili’s simply because they have a Home Depot. So the sit-down restaurants I have letters of intent from want to come to Emporia because Lowe’s wants to come to Emporia and because of the traffic generated by them.
So that’s the question we’re really asking: Is the quality of life really going to increase with Lowe’s coming in? I think the answer is yes. Is it specific to a home improvement store? Not necessarily. What it is specific to is that there will be more sales tax revenue generated for the city to have more money going into the general fund to do other projects. There’s going to be several million dollars worth of public improvements made on the roads that would normally come out of the general fund, which is burdened at this time on a national level. That will be paid for out of the TDD. We’re taxing ourselves to pay for those improvements.
And so it would be nice to have other sit-down restaurants and other retail stores in Emporia, and once Lowe’s says yes to Emporia, other retailers say yes to Emporia. I mean, not every town of 25,000 in America has a Lowe’s. So it’s a huge shot in the arm to the economy. When we documented that there were retail sales leaving Emporia, that wasn’t speculation. That was fact. When you add services to your community the shrinkage factor is completely diminished, and people will buy services and goods there in your community versus going to Topeka or Wichita.
If you talk to the towns that I’ve developed in, it’s brought tremendous benefits for those people. There’s been residential growth because people want to live there. It will induce industrial businesses to come to your market because you’ve got services. You have to have services to attract other companies.
booker5m (anonymous) says...
If its such a great deal let them pay all the improvments.Also how for down indust. does the tax go?
October 14, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joe (anonymous) says...
We need this development. The City and County are suffering. Retail breeds retail, retail breeds industry, and industry breeds jobs. We have to start growing again or we will just wither away. Stop being so pesimistic and negative. These bad attitudes are destroying our community and many of you are to blame. We can be such good people if we just want to be. I want to live here all my life because I love Emporia that much. We need this!!
October 14, 2008 at 2:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vankamp (anonymous) says...
I am a big fan of Lowes and would love to see one come to town, but I think the location is poorly thought out and I do not like the idea of giving them incentives. DJ Chrisite says how much they want to come to Emporia. If that is so they will come with out the incentives. Of course they will ask for them, but does that mean we need to give them? Many business have come to town without incentives.
October 14, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
I agree with vankamp. It's the incentives that worry me the most. I have a sinking feeling we could end up holding the bag. The location is poor due to traffic congestion on that T intersection. Go down there after school gets out and you'll see what I mean. We spent tons of money to develop a plan and I think we should follow it. We have areas already developed that could be razed and built over. The eyesore where Big Lots comes to mind and it has utilities already set up. As for bringing restaurants in, do they have to next door to Lowes? How many vacant restaurant building do we have already? Burger King on east 12th and the old KFC and Pizza Hut buildings spring to mind.
October 14, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
joejoe2 (anonymous) says...
I am for Lowes coming but not for incentives. But QUIT telling restaurants where they should be. They have people that are a lot smarter than us figuring out what location would be profitable. Do you think there is a reason that those restaurant locations are vacant?
October 14, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
notasheeple (anonymous) says...
Hold on… What is this free advertisement or deception?
http://www.djchristieinc.com/Projects...
http://www.djchristieinc.com/docs/pro...
And this..
http://www.djchristieinc.com/docs/pro...
October 14, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bobsuth (anonymous) says...
Emporians need to apply a dose of healthy skepticism to Mr. Christie's "assurances".
The reason there are more than one large home center in Joplin is because that market is several times larger than Emporia, and none of these received taxpayer money to open. Joplin is an invalid analogy.
What hard data does Mr. Christie have about "expanding the market", or that retailers competing with TIF financed competitors "prosper"? Sutherlands has been in business 90 years and we have no data to support this. The vast majority of scientifically based academic studies show that TIF subsidies merely move sales around without creating more.
Please see this link: http://www.reason.com/news/show/33053...
The "letters of intent" Mr. Christie references are no more than wishful thinking. Those with knowledge of the real estate business understand that these types of commitments are non-binding. Brokers send these "letters" off to one another to create buzz and hopefully lure naive local officials into throwing them a subsidy. Where is this mythical Chili's in Pittsburg? We can't find any mention of it in Pittsburg. Did Christie talk to the Sutherlands manager in Pittsburg? No. What proof does Mr. Christie have that Staples is coming because of Home Depot? None.
Is Mr. Christie willing to put his money where his mouth is? Is he offering even one penny of guarantee that the financial risk Emporia would be taking will pay off?
Why has the City development team not offered a TIF to businesses that professional research (Buxton, Development Strategies, Downtown Retail) shows should be lured to town? These include: Cars, Trucks retail with a total leakage of $32 million, far more than any other category.
Here is a quote from the report that Development Strategies prepared for Steve Commons in 2006:
"A new Home Depot [or Lowes] would certainly steal significant sales from existing stores that sell similiar goods." The report goes on to equate TIF subsidies for home improvement in Emporia to "aiding and abetting" the demise of existing merchants.
October 14, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hickory (anonymous) says...
Another rumor is, that Tyson is likely to close the plant here, if a union comes in. Will Lowe's back out then?
October 14, 2008 at 5:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
been_there (anonymous) says...
FYI - Tyson will not close the plant because a union comes in. The plant will close because of the morons with impossible demands that are being fed a line of bull by the union reps and are choosing to believe it. The market is what it is but some people never got a lesson in economics. I personally wouldn't mind if Lowe's was to come to town, just to another part of town. However, even though people are speaking out against this location, money talks and that's who they are listening to.
October 14, 2008 at 6:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eiggohp (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
October 14, 2008 at 5:50 p.m. ( permalink )
methusla (anonymous) says...
After visiting the Christi sights posted by not a sheeple, I definately need some clarification on something, on the sights I visited the developement maps show the developement of property where the old empty "BIG LOTS" store is located, now am I wrong in assuming that Christi's is wanting to develope 2 parcels of property ? One at the corner of Industrial and 24th Ave for a Lowes and the other on the property at basically the corner of Industrial and 6th ave (highway 50) for what looks to me like restaurants, etc.
I thought that Christi's was interested only in the one parcel at 24th and Industrial for a Lowes with restaurants and other businesses at that location!
Would someone care to explain to me what the h_ll is going on here!
October 14, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jallanpoe (anonymous) says...
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October 14, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. ( permalink )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
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October 14, 2008 at 8:44 p.m. ( permalink )
bobsuth (anonymous) says...
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October 14, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. ( permalink )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
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October 14, 2008 at 8:59 p.m. ( permalink )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
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October 14, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. ( permalink )
notasheeple (anonymous) says...
Methusla.. Exactly We need more answers!
www.djchristieinc.com is there/his home page then click on (Projects).
Humm.. Read away.
http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Christ...
Its just to bad I missed out on the conversation yesterday?_?
October 15, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Actually, notasheeple, all those deletions are because those people said something about Christie, you know, "don't believe him," etc.
October 15, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
notasheeple (anonymous) says...
Well.. “Good” Research will prove. But I’m not jumping to conclusions just yet.
October 15, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )