A bit of background

Regency, the mega-corporation that owns the Kingsdale property and 400 others like it, has only this month submitted its first development plan since they purchased the property nearly 10 years ago, giving Council a concrete idea of what the developers envision for the site.

70 ft of big-box retail store side wall. Regency has proposed a 300 ft side wall of Target facing Northwest Blvd.

They propose what we call "McKingsdale" --- a mega-strip mall surrounded by a sea of asphalt. It addition, their plan includes a huge "big box" Target store that would encompass 8 to 10 acres of land. The Target store's side wall would be 300 feet long running along Northwest Blvd !!

Kingsdale vs. McKingsdale

At the city council candidates’ forum last week, redevelopment of Kingsdale was a hot topic – and it should be. Kingsdale represents a large plot of land, in the heart of our community, that has the potential to become a development that enhances our community. In its current state it is more of an eyesore -- not to mention its lost potential to generate tax revenue for the city.

You may not be aware that our tax revenue is derived from the income that people working in Upper Arlington earn – and more compact professional office space tenants bring in more tax dollars than do retail employees earning minimum wage --- and reduce our heavy dependency on property taxes. A combination of retail, residential, civic and commercial spaces would best complement the needs of our community.

The leadership of UAPA wants our city council to be proactive and to negotiate the best solution that generates ample tax income while meeting the many, varied needs of its constituents.

Council members Mary Ann Krauss and Ed Seidel have a balanced vision of what can be accomplished when business and government collaborate and want to reinvigorate the property by negotiating with Regency for a more visibly appealing property that will meet several needs in our community, boost the City's tax revenues and provide Regency with a rate of return on its investment .

• Imagine the boost our tax base would get from several stories of medical and professional square footage at the site.
• Imagine how relaxing it would be to enjoy outstanding cuisine and then stroll around a beautifully landscaped green space and fountain in the square.
• Imagine inviting boutiques and shops luring you in to “boost the economy” as well as a Mom and Pop hardware store.
• Imagine senior citizens being able to live in affordable housing and to shop within walking distance.

Gahanna's Creekside: one of several great examples of a public/private partnerships around Central Ohio. Click on the image for a full-sized views.

If you can’t use your imagination, go to www.gahannacreekside.com to see what the possibilities for our quality of life could be. There are numerous great examples of public/private partnerships around Central Ohio, Gahanna Creekside being the most recent example.

At the forum, candidates Leslie Heath and Dan McCormick were in lock step lobbying for the center to become purely market driven. Well, in the 10 or so years since Regency has operated Kingsdale, that’s exactly what has happened. The market has driven Kingsdale into the ground. Stores have migrated to more attractive malls and suburbs except for a scant few. The market-driven approach of Heath and McCormick will result in a mega-strip mall surrounded by a sea of asphalt. A vote for Heath and McCormick means that Kingsdale is left to more of the same.

Regency has no particular connection with UA. It is Council's responsibility to negotiate with Regency to ensure that Kingsdale is developed in ways that both benefit our community and make economic sense. We need members of Council, like Mary Ann Krauss and Ed Seidel, who are committed to forging these public/private partnerships, and who will direct Regency in our community's best interest-- not ones who will bypass the negotiating table to rely solely on letting the "market dictate" our community's future.