Comments on: Walgreen’s on wrong corner? http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/ The Community Viewpoints Board advises the Register Star on the Editorial Agenda and on topics of the day. They are conservatives, liberals and independent. Some are retired. Others are doctors, teachers, pastors, social workers and marketing specialists. Several members of the board agreed to blog on rrstar.com. They’ll share their views here on local issues. Their thoughts – as well as the opinions of other board members – also will appear with other opinion content online and in the newspaper in the Opinions section. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:59:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 By: Dennis Wallace http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-62 Dennis Wallace Sat, 24 May 2008 14:44:20 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-62 Jeez... Gang what some think is the wrong corner may be considered by others as the perfect corner... So let's leave it to the Pro's to figure out and then live with it... Come on Hindsight is 20\20 but when you are planning for future development it doesn't all look so clear as looking back into the past. Yea we'll do some dumb things in the pursuit of Progress but let's cool it on the armchair quarterbacking... If Walgreens wants to tear down the old and build something new on the West side... I say great! Now as far as Urban Renewal one of my pet peeves... We need to come to grips with the fact that just because soemthing is old doesn't mean it's something we should keep around forever. Yes I agree with selective "historical significance" but every building from 150 years ago isn't worthy of preservation... Now to continue on my soap box... Will we finally come to grips with the fact we are competing with brand spanken new communities that don't have the baggage of old worn down sections of town or just urban decay? Rockford needs to put a bounty on every building over 50 years old that is currently occupied by a viable existing business and offer to freeze property taxes if the business BUILDS SOMETHING NEW AND MOVES AN EXISTING BUSINESS INTO IT... At the same time agreeing to tear down any old structure that has or is close to exceeding a reasonable life expectancy. fyi, All because an old building is still useable in some peoples minds doesn't mean we should keep in "On the Books" as thatempty building puts us at a competitive disadvantage to investors and Banks looking to BUILD SOMETHING NEW IN ROCKFORD.... This idea would reward existing companies with similar giveaways offered to the new big box stores that come into the community and extort money from local Gov't taxing bodies... But in this case the money would go to improve Rockford not just to build on some current cornfield on the fringe of Rockford. While were at it... How about we establish a fund by selling bonds to buy up vacant factories, warehouses and commercail properties and tear them down... All they are now is eyesores, urban blight and worse yet... SHOW UP ON THE BOOKS AS EXCESS CAPACITY PREVENTING NEW CONSTRUCTION i.e. placing us at an uncompetitive advantage against the "newer" communities we are battling for jobs... Ok .... I feel better now. (;-) Jeez… Gang what some think is the wrong corner may be considered by others as the perfect corner… So let’s leave it to the Pro’s to figure out and then live with it… Come on Hindsight is 20\20 but when you are planning for future development it doesn’t all look so clear as looking back into the past. Yea we’ll do some dumb things in the pursuit of Progress but let’s cool it on the armchair quarterbacking… If Walgreens wants to tear down the old and build something new on the West side… I say great!

Now as far as Urban Renewal one of my pet peeves… We need to come to grips with the fact that just because soemthing is old doesn’t mean it’s something we should keep around forever. Yes I agree with selective “historical significance” but every building from 150 years ago isn’t worthy of preservation…

Now to continue on my soap box… Will we finally come to grips with the fact we are competing with brand spanken new communities that don’t have the baggage of old worn down sections of town or just urban decay?

Rockford needs to put a bounty on every building over 50 years old that is currently occupied by a viable existing business and offer to freeze property taxes if the business BUILDS SOMETHING NEW AND MOVES AN EXISTING BUSINESS INTO IT… At the same time agreeing to tear down any old structure that has or is close to exceeding a reasonable life expectancy. fyi, All because an old building is still useable in some peoples minds doesn’t mean we should keep in “On the Books” as thatempty building puts us at a competitive disadvantage to investors and Banks looking to BUILD SOMETHING NEW IN ROCKFORD….

This idea would reward existing companies with similar giveaways offered to the new big box stores that come into the community and extort money from local Gov’t taxing bodies… But in this case the money would go to improve Rockford not just to build on some current cornfield on the fringe of Rockford.

While were at it… How about we establish a fund by selling bonds to buy up vacant factories, warehouses and commercail properties and tear them down… All they are now is eyesores, urban blight and worse yet… SHOW UP ON THE BOOKS AS EXCESS CAPACITY PREVENTING NEW CONSTRUCTION i.e. placing us at an uncompetitive advantage against the “newer” communities we are battling for jobs…

Ok …. I feel better now. (;-)

]]> By: carolyn williams http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-58 carolyn williams Tue, 13 May 2008 21:01:37 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-58 I was hoping that it was finally time to rebuild the west side and bring more business to the area instead of closing some to open others. It is long overdue for development on the far west side. When I was coming up in Rockford in the 70\\\\\\\'s the west side had stores, movies, skating rinks, outdoor theatres , swimming pools and much more entertainment ,and I believe that is why the crime has esculated so. I was hoping that it was finally time to rebuild the west side and bring more business to the area instead of closing some to open others. It is long overdue for development on the far west side. When I was coming up in Rockford in the 70\\\\\\\’s the west side had stores, movies, skating rinks, outdoor theatres , swimming pools and much more entertainment ,and I believe that is why the crime has esculated so.

]]> By: charlie http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-54 charlie Tue, 13 May 2008 17:06:04 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-54 with the closing of the restaurant and salon, walgreens will be bringing several jobs to the area. hurray for walgreens. let the restaurant and salon relocate to the east side where they belong. with the closing of the restaurant and salon, walgreens will be bringing several jobs to the area. hurray for walgreens. let the restaurant and salon relocate to the east side where they belong.

]]> By: SSD http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-49 SSD Tue, 06 May 2008 15:08:28 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-49 I was aware that a development company bought the land - not guaranteeing a Walgreens. Did the city actually close the stores or did the owners voluntarily close and sell before the proposed round a bout came into play. Last I knew this was a free society and if the owners chose to sell - good for them! I was aware that a development company bought the land - not guaranteeing a Walgreens. Did the city actually close the stores or did the owners voluntarily close and sell before the proposed round a bout came into play. Last I knew this was a free society and if the owners chose to sell - good for them!

]]> By: hokumboy http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-48 hokumboy Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:29:24 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-48 Add the often discussed \\"round-a-bout\\" and we\\\'ve got ourselves a SNAFU of mythical proportions! Add the often discussed \\"round-a-bout\\" and we\\\’ve got ourselves a SNAFU of mythical proportions!

]]> By: JG http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-45 JG Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:41:12 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-45 I agree with all of you. When i first heard that table 13 and the salon would be closed to create a Walgreen's... wow we have one right down the road. another question i had is audio installers staying?I live in the N main and auburn (nesa) neighborhood and i think its ridiculous.At 5:00 N main and auburn is so messed up as it is let alone now having the traffic from a store entering and exiting onto the streets. I agree with all of you. When i first heard that table 13 and the salon would be closed to create a Walgreen’s… wow we have one right down the road. another question i had is audio installers staying?I live in the N main and auburn (nesa) neighborhood and i think its ridiculous.At 5:00 N main and auburn is so messed up as it is let alone now having the traffic from a store entering and exiting onto the streets.

]]> By: hokumboy http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-38 hokumboy Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:30:08 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-38 Ed & Jan, I don't think it's about the best locations. It's more about who makes the profit from the land sale to Walgreens. Ed & Jan,
I don’t think it’s about the best locations. It’s more about who makes the profit from the land sale to Walgreens.

]]> By: Jan Herbert http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-37 Jan Herbert Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:09:39 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/viewpointsboard/2008/04/13/walgreens-on-wrong-corner/#comment-37 Have to agree with you Ed. But let\'s back up further, there\'s a Walgreens perhaps 2 miles north. Will that one then be closed leaving an empty building? I don\'t want to deprive anyone of the opportunity to be able to purchase the things they need, but somehow this just doesn\'t seem like sensible development. And how will this improve the congestion of Auburn & Main? Have to agree with you Ed. But let\’s back up further, there\’s a Walgreens perhaps 2 miles north. Will that one then be closed leaving an empty building? I don\’t want to deprive anyone of the opportunity to be able to purchase the things they need, but somehow this just doesn\’t seem like sensible development. And how will this improve the congestion of Auburn & Main?

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