Shopping center talk is back
But I?m going to and here?s why. The proposed shopping center at the corner of Old Shelbyville Road and the bypass appears back on track. At least there?s a giant sign at that corner that proclaims, ?New retail development coming.?
The company that?s behind the development is The Shopping Center Group, which is the same company that was behind a previous proposal that collapsed because the city wouldn?t rezone land from residential to commercial. I?ve called The Shopping Center Group and property owner Gene Sanders to try to get information, but I haven?t had much luck. Thus, my reason for speculating.
If you recall, The Shopping Center Group wanted to construct a massive shopping center on Old Shelbyville Road. It required land owned by Sanders, which is already zoned commercial, and land owned by Swanson Bennett, which is zoned residential.
Since the request for rezoning failed, Swanson is out of luck concerning a retail development for his land, located between Myers Lane and Wilson Road. But Sanders still has 10 acres of prime real estate between Myers Lane and the bypass that?s ready to develop and there?s not much anybody can do about it.
At the failed rezoning meeting in September, Sanders admitted there?s been considerable interest in his property. However, he said he favored the deal that involved Swanson?s land because it would have brought a really upscale shopping center to the area.
?We would like to see something nice there and this is a shopping center not a strip mall,? said Sanders at the rezoning meeting. ?We have a lot of friends and relatives in McMinnville and we want to be able to do something nice for the area. We want to be able to look you in the eye. Honestly, I?m a little surprised by all the opposition. We thought people would want this.?
What I believe is happening is Mr. Sanders is going forward with plans to develop his 10 acres. We?ll have to wait and see how that venture goes.