Trader Joe's details still under wraps : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — With neighborhood resistance brewing, representatives of a national real estate development company have been meeting with residents about a planned shopping center at West Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road.

Those who have been briefed about the plans said the company wants to build a 50,000 -square-foot shopping center, which may include a pharmacy and a Trader Joe’s grocery store.

Chris Widmayer, vice president for the developer, Regency Centers, said Thursday that it was premature to discuss details.

Widmayer said the developer will not submit anything to the city today, the deadline for a rezoning request to get on the agenda for the February zoning commission meeting.

Meanwhile area neighborhood groups, who have opposed commercial rezonings in the area in the past, said they are poised to fight if they don’t like what they see.

Regency Centers has shopping areas across the country, including the Cary home of Trader Joe’s.

Locally, the developer is considering building a shopping center on land that is now occupied by six single-family homes on the north side of Friendly, across Hobbs Road from the Shops at Friendly Center.

Representatives of the developer met with residents from nearby neighborhoods in December and again Thursday night, according to residents.

Homeowners in the nearby Wedgewood, Hamilton Lakes and Starmount Forest neighborhoods have fought area commercial rezonings in the past.

Residents were quick to circulate some of the details they heard from developers: four buildings; entrances off Hobbs and Friendly; parking in the middle; Trader Joe’s and CVS as potential tenants.

The developer has yet to confirm any of that information.

“There is lots more to come. The developer is meeting with neighborhood groups and accepting feedback and adjusting plans as it’s feasible,” said Mary Skenes, who lives in Wedgewood and serves on the zoning commission. “They are being very responsible in how they are approaching it because it will be controversial.”

Residents already have raised concerns about noise, light pollution and additional traffic that might be caused by a shopping center of that size.

John Bloss, who lives nearby on Wedgedale Avenue, said he sometimes can’t make a left turn onto Friendly due to traffic.

He’s also concerned that the shopping center, which will be on a higher elevation than his neighborhood, may tower over the homes.

“From what we have heard, we are strongly opposed,” said Bloss, who attended one of the meetings.

Residents said the developers are considering options to lessen the shopping center’s impact on nearby homes, including limiting store hours.

Dr. James Soukup, who lives across the street from the proposed site on Wedgedale Avenue, hopes the developer will install a brick wall that will block noise and congestion from Friendly Avenue, like the one added to block neighbors when the Shops at Friendly Center was built.

Soukup said he needs more information before he decides whether or not he supports the proposal.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com

sanders

January 6, 2012 - 4:36 am EST

all in favor of trader joes as a great store. just need to find a better location. no need to upset residents and do all this rezoning. look how whole foods found a place to build.

flagstik

January 6, 2012 - 7:54 am EST

Oh come on now we need another area like Wendover / I 40. One isn't enough.

terrier2003

January 6, 2012 - 10:03 am EST

was our city council not touting how they are going to revitalize High Point Road? I'll bet there is cheap comercially zoned land over there...

destinys mother in law

January 6, 2012 - 10:23 am EST

Just make sure you don't walk or ride a bike along High Point Road.

citywatcher

January 6, 2012 - 8:19 am EST

"Meanwhile area neighborhood groups, who have opposed commercial rezonings in the area in the past, said they are poised to fight if they don’t like what they see."

Oh please...they won't be happy with ANYTHING that is built there. The problem is that there really isn't another site. Trader Joe's open their stores nearby Whole Food Markets one of which will be opening in the Sears building. There are no other available sites nearby. If these NIMBY neighbors screw this up, Trader Joe's will just go to WInston-Salem instead. Opponents will face an uphill battle because unlike ordinary developments, citizens all over Greensboro have been clamoring for a Trader Joe's and they are not going to let this pass up so Winston-Salem can get it. This city has had too many lost opportunities in the past because of NIMBYs. Greensboro needs to grow some balls like Charlotte and understand that progress and growth is more important than a few NIMBYs complaining because they don't want to see a shopping center nearby. This aint Mayberry. The zoning board and city council are going to feel the pressure to support this. This is a done deal.

sunsethills

January 6, 2012 - 8:39 am EST

Citywatcher, You think Greensboro would be better off to pattern itself after Charlotte, The sprawling mess?

Mialamasoul

January 6, 2012 - 8:42 am EST

Charlotte is not ALL sprawling mess, they have done a great job at infill... something we could stand to do more of here in Greensboro.

January 6, 2012 - 10:08 am EST

Unless we get more business and companies to the area, we couldn't support the development that charlotte has experienced.

January 6, 2012 - 10:25 am EST

Let's see if we can attract a really big waste treatment plant to keep from dumping on other communities. Remember, what happens in Greensboro should stay in Greensboro.

goodtoknow

January 6, 2012 - 9:23 am EST

citywatch...Weren't you opposed to the White Street Landfill reopening? Were those people NIMBY's for protecting their neighborhood? A grocery store is just another grocery store in my opinion.

January 6, 2012 - 1:19 pm EST

Reopening the White Street landfill is not progress....its going backwards. There is no comparison when it comes to a landfill and an upscale shopping center. East Greensboro would gladly trade.

The reason why Greensboro isn't getting the business and industry that it should, is because for decades our leaders have been slow to adapt to the changing economy. Resistance to change and fear of becoming a big city is part of it. There is a faction in the city thats happy that Greensboro is just a big town instead of an urban thriving metropolis.

This shopping center proposal is not sprawl, its the kind of infill development our city needs more over. traffic concerns or over exaggerated. The project will be tastefully done and to proper scale. the rich folk over in Starmount need to get their nose out of the air.

January 6, 2012 - 10:07 am EST

Sometimes it's just absurd to listen to you Citywatcher. You were adamantly opposed to whitestreet because the people who owned houses there were dumb enough to buy next to a landfill, yet you get fired up here because these people who already own their homes in this area are not thrilled that another shopping center may be going in next to them? They have a more ligit concern than the folks around White Street.

January 6, 2012 - 1:20 pm EST

read my above post

wctbl?

January 6, 2012 - 1:34 pm EST

Golden Gate Shopping Center on Cornwallis would be a great location!

dandyseniors

January 6, 2012 - 8:36 pm EST

Trader Joe's needs to be near upscale neighborhoods.

January 6, 2012 - 8:41 am EST

I agree with the first poster. I live in a little cottage on the east side of Greensboro between Summit and Yanceyville. Maybe nobody wants to compete with WalMart, but I can tell you there are PLENTY of abandoned big box sites on Church St., Yanceyville St., Cone Blvd. that would do quite nicely and appreciate a store the calibur of Trader Joe's. As a resident of the area I would like to have an alternative to WalMart. I am sure they would give them a run for their money. The developer would not have to go through the business of knocking down or buying out homeowners. I don't really get why they would try to develop in an area so OUT there from the rest of Greensboro, or WHY they want to go through the trouble of rezoning and all that.
What are we in east Greensboro lepers or something?

newtogso

January 6, 2012 - 8:54 am EST

City - I'm not sure that we would lose anything by a store going to Winston. It's not likely an either/or situation. Both markets can handle a Trader Joe's. Mia is right that about locating a store where there is already a need. City leaders ought to be looking at an incentive package to get TJ's to locate close-in East Greensboro and give up on a site that will be fought and should be fought. We, as a city, complain about the plight of E. Greensboro, but wishing and hoping doesn't get anything to happen. Trader Joe's wants to be here and if this site goes down in flames, they will keep looking for a spot and the City ought to help them find a spot that works for everyone.

January 6, 2012 - 8:56 am EST

Thanks for a voice of reason.

January 6, 2012 - 9:28 am EST

Trader Joe's wants to locate in an upscale area that looks upscale also. Sadly the only upscale look is Friendly. Other cities have more than 1 upscale shopping center. That's how far behind Greensboro is.

January 6, 2012 - 10:00 am EST

Upscale is a relative term for...??? What Greensboro lacks is a variety of places to live and shop. This is simply because so many people here are still fighting about "us" and "them"

January 6, 2012 - 10:14 am EST

dont get me wrong...but I tend to see the same demographic of people every time I go to the Fresh Market. And Don't tell me it is because there isn't one on the NE side of town. We drive from Sedgefield to New Garden to get there. As far as others would have to drive.

I think the reality is that the vast majority of people in the Northeast side of town would walk into trader joe;s, see the prices and then go over to Food Lion or Walmart. Not that they are that much different, but they are different enough.

January 6, 2012 - 12:15 pm EST

So, Trader Joe's is more expensive?

January 6, 2012 - 12:49 pm EST

The Trader Joe's that is located in Raleigh doesn't appear to be in an upscale area.

January 6, 2012 - 10:11 am EST

Trader Joes also caters to a different clientele than what the majority of East Greensboro is. They shop at Walmart for a reason. Not to sound uppity, because I know there are people like Mia that would shop there, but if it is to get the most traffic, they would need to be more centrally located or be in a location that would be frequented by their target demographic. Lee Street would make more sense with the universities and college hill if they weren't to plop it somewhere on Friendly.

January 6, 2012 - 10:19 am EST

Yes, I like Whole Foods too, and am THRILLED that it is coming to Greensboro. My sister worked at the Whole Foods on 59th st. in Manhattan. I bet my next door neighbors would shop at Trader Joe's too. Don't forget, that A&T is a university in East Greensboro. If the prices are great, no doubt those college students would appreciate an alternative to the 2 food groups now served at many local grocers (processed and packaged). So what IS the majority of East Greensboro?

January 6, 2012 - 1:33 pm EST

Unfortunately city leaders can't tell a business where to locate. If there are other alternatives for a location in Greensboro, I'm all for it. But locating a Trader Joe's near Whole Foods market seems to be their business model. But in regards to the site, I don't see whats wrong with it. Access to the site doesn't require traffic through residential neighborhoods and the location is on the opposite side of Friendly Ave and Holden Rd away from most of the homes. People seem to forget there is a huge Shopping Center next door call the Shops at Friendly Center so it not like this type of development is unusual for the area.

rooster8786

January 6, 2012 - 9:17 am EST

Maybe to community development organizers in East Greensboro could use Skip's real estate company to get some action on development. If that fails, play the race card...

January 6, 2012 - 9:58 am EST

Your comment is discouraging. There are no "community development organizers" in East Greensboro. FYI, Skip Alston's company does not handle "commercial" real estate, and race is not a game or a tactic that you play.What did your comment add to this discussion?

You believe what you just wrote?

January 6, 2012 - 10:22 am EST

Can you offer information to the contrary? Race is not a game, it is a means that people use to distinguish themselves from others, and a means to categorize. "the race card" is a stale used up cliche. People should stop saying it.

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