Hypocritical, snooty liars
Today's Oregonian reveals plans for a new "lifestyle center" (read: a bunch of upscale stores) on the former Teufel Nursery site in north Beaverton.
Where's that? C'mon, you know the place -- it's just a quarter-mile down the hill from the site of a proposed Wal-Mart that was shot down last year because of "concerns" about "traffic" and "community vision." At the time, I accused the "Save Cedar Mill" folks of NIMBY-ism and class arrogance.
And it turns out I was right.
The proposed Wal-Mart was 152,300 square feet, which meant roughly 5,000 people a day. This new "lifestyle center," called West Village, is proposed at 200,000 square feet, along with 30,000 square feet of office space. That pencils out to more than 7,000 people a day. Oh, and the story says it could expand (if roads are improved) to 400,000 square feet. That would be 12,000 people a day.
So much for traffic concerns.
Ah, but it's all OK, according to Save Cedar Mill President Steve Kaufman:
Translation: Mr. Kaufman has his lovely home in the West Hills, and he doesn't want it ruined by a bunch of low-income folks looking to save a few bucks at Wal-Mart. The numbers of the West Village proposal show it's not about traffic. It's all about class arrogance.
Where's that? C'mon, you know the place -- it's just a quarter-mile down the hill from the site of a proposed Wal-Mart that was shot down last year because of "concerns" about "traffic" and "community vision." At the time, I accused the "Save Cedar Mill" folks of NIMBY-ism and class arrogance.
And it turns out I was right.
The proposed Wal-Mart was 152,300 square feet, which meant roughly 5,000 people a day. This new "lifestyle center," called West Village, is proposed at 200,000 square feet, along with 30,000 square feet of office space. That pencils out to more than 7,000 people a day. Oh, and the story says it could expand (if roads are improved) to 400,000 square feet. That would be 12,000 people a day.
So much for traffic concerns.
Ah, but it's all OK, according to Save Cedar Mill President Steve Kaufman:
But the stores at West Village are intended more for locals, and the project is better geared to bicyclists and pedestrians, said Steve Kaufman, leader of Save Cedar Mill, the group that fought Wal-Mart.
"This is very much in line with the vision we had for the (Wal-Mart) site," Kaufman said.
Let's do a little mind quiz: what percentage of the clientele at your average Wal-Mart would use some form of transit other than a personal vehicle to get to the store? And what would be the percentage of the clientele at West Village (or Bridgeport Village, to which this is being compared)?
So much for the bicyclist/pedestrian argument.
Translation: Mr. Kaufman has his lovely home in the West Hills, and he doesn't want it ruined by a bunch of low-income folks looking to save a few bucks at Wal-Mart. The numbers of the West Village proposal show it's not about traffic. It's all about class arrogance.
Labels: Wal-Mart, West Village
posted by Ken @ 4:14 PM
6 Comments:
At 10/25/2007 5:08 PM,
Anonymous said…
Man, you really nailed this one. These NIMBYs are really starting to tick me off.
At 10/29/2007 7:02 PM,
OregonGuy said…
And, I would submit, a minority of effete Lefties. Most people would view a Wal-Mart nearby as a way to save money. It's not about wealth. Wealthy people love saving money. It's not about demand. How would it serve Wal-Mart to build a store that didn't make money? It's about agenda. Light-rail and bicycles good. People and choice, bad.
At 3/25/2008 3:21 PM,
Anonymous said…
My home is adjacent to the former Tueffel property and I gave money to Save Cedar Mill because I did not want a Wal Mart essentially in my neighborhood. That's right. We formed an organization, determined what we wanted in our community and Wal Mart didn't fly. I am no lefty. I can drive another three minutes and go to Home Depot, Office Depot, Albertson's, Safeway, Thriftway, Ace Hardware, Borders -- everything available at Wal Mart.
I am sure if they try and put an upscale strip club for lefty elitists in the West Village, that probably won't fly either. Is their something wrong with self-determination about the community you live in, due process, persuading others to agree with your views, and then winning....
Find something else to gripe about that really matters...
At 4/16/2008 9:11 AM,
Ken said…
Dear Anonymous -- that's a considerable amount of distortion in eight sentences.
I can drive another three minutes and go to Home Depot, Office Depot, Albertson's, Safeway, Thriftway, Ace Hardware, Borders -- everything available at Wal Mart.
Except for the fact that all those places are more expensive than Wal-Mart. Why do you think Wal-Marts are so popular? Because they save people money -- people who don't have your income and transportation options. Not everyone can climb into their SUV and drive over to Cedar Hills Crossing or along Cornell and Barnes to hit the five different addresses you just listed.
I am sure if they try and put an upscale strip club for lefty elitists in the West Village, that probably won't fly either.
Way to throw out a red herring, as if there's some similarity between Wal-Mart and an "upscale strip club."
Is their something wrong with self-determination about the community you live in, due process, persuading others to agree with your views, and then winning....
Nothing, if that's really what it was. The problem with that statement is that one of the proclaimed issues you had with Wal-Mart was traffic. If that were the case, you'd oppose West Village, too. It will mean even MORE traffic than Wal-Mart. If you can drive "three minutes" to those other locations, then there's no reason to build anything at the Teufel site, right? No stores, no houses, no parks -- all would mean more traffic.
Oh, and that rubbish about due process? If you define that as getting the Beaverton City Council to vote your way because they subscribed to the same class warfare policies that you advocated, despite the fact that Wal-Mart followed all the rules? Well then, I guess you're right.
I give you credit for your honesty in the first sentence, however: "I did not want a Wal Mart essentially in my neighborhood." It's all about Wal-Mart, and what you perceive as the type of clientele that such a store would draw.
At 10/05/2008 12:54 AM,
The Young & the Restless Recap said…
If anyone sounds like an asshole right now - it's you. My husband and I specifically purchased a townhouse in Timberland b/c we couldn't afford to keep renting downtown, but still want a lifestyle where we can walk to a grocery store, restaurant, or some form of entertainment...
Wal-Mart blows and I have no intention of living near one. EVER. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer a neighborhood and development that caters to a more active set of people; rather than every other morbidly obese woman struggling to push a gianormous shopping cart with her equally gianormous children in tow so she can save $0.03 on toilet paper. But that's just me.
At 10/05/2008 3:02 PM,
Ken said…
I prefer a neighborhood and development that caters to a more active set of people; rather than every other morbidly obese woman struggling to push a gianormous shopping cart with her equally gianormous children in tow so she can save $0.03 on toilet paper.
(Giggle)
Thanks for making my point for me. Who sounds like an a**hole?
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