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| Eureka Square corner |
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| Main strip, identify business by name |
"Editor: Even
though I live now in Daly City, I often return to Pacifica and to my
favorite store -- Oceana Market. Recently, I noticed that the martial
arts studio, Shintaikaido, seemed to be closed and, sure enough, there
were signs in the windows which said that the studio wa
s moving to a new
location elsewhere.
I inquired and investigated and it seems that this
good tenant of the Eureka Square shopping center was yet another victim
of a rent increase which was impossible to pay.
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| West business side |
My dad was involved in
banking for more than 30 years and had a brilliant mind for finances and
the complexities of doing business and staying solvent and earning
meaningful income. Unfortunately, I did not inherit my dad's financial
wisdom. So, because I am somewhat unclear on the concept,
I must ask why
the owner of a shopping center with so many empty storefronts and
vacant buildings raises the monthly rent on one of the few remaining
businesses there and force that business to leave?
Maybe it's better not
to know the reason. I mean, wouldn't the owner want to encourage new
businesses to move in and fill all these ghostly spaces? Hopefully by
offering rental rates that were reasonable and not intolerable."
Posted by Kathy Meeh
22 comments:
Really? Are we going to start this tired argument again where people with zero experience decide how business owners are supposed to run their businesses?
Really? Are we going to start this again where people are attacked for asking reasonable questions?
Piers Lahey asked, "I must ask why the owner of a shopping center with so many empty storefronts and vacant buildings raises the monthly rent on one of the few remaining businesses there and force that business to leave?"
".. tired argument again.." Anonymous 10:40 AM
Yes, what's the strategy? Remember several years ago, this business owner was interested in turning Eureka Square into condos. And I think that was turned down by the City. Tom Clifford or someone else may have a better memory about that.
Otherwise, Rev. Piers Lahey makes an interesting point: Vacancies do not generate active income for the business owner. An important consideration may be that the tenant rent is too high.
The Pacifica Tribune letters to the editor were interesting this time. Many of these (reprinted here), include the same 'ol "tired" Pacifica issues which we revisit and sometimes find a fresh view. ("Tired" is your word).
This guy should be mayor of Pacifica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4o-TeMHys0
Seems like that center has had a vacancy problem for a decade. It would seem the landlord has found a way to make this work for him because he's not doing anything to change the situation. Who knows what his financial needs are.
There may be many reasons why the owners continue to do this to their longtime tenants, tax reasons in their overall investment plans, being a possible high one, but the Chamber would like to set up a meeting with the City and the owner to talk about how their needs and the Chamber's needs can coexist. I do know the rate increase requested of First Natl Bank was extreme but do not know anything regarding this latest situation. I do know that the City will not allow rezoning of this property to build condos or any type of residential.
It's well known the property owner wants to build apartments/ housing on the property wiping out the commercial store fronts.
When and if the Chamber and it's handful of public officials and employees do succeed in any sort of major change to the status quo, like getting three stories of apartment permitted on that site, the cat will be out of the bag regarding their intentions to feed off the city any further. Good luck with that Chris/Chamber/senior staff.
Cat's already out of the bag.
NIMBY's prefer urban blight over sensible mixed development.
Good access to highway and public transit, fits in with the neighborhood, great supermarket and bank (no car travel necessary).
Dense mixed us development is the greenest of all alternatives when it comes to human habitat.
Open your mind and risk a little sunshine, would you please.
Nyukie Baby, thanks for stating my case and not pretending as Chris has. BTW couldn't disagree with you more Jim... oops I meant Spankie :) about dense mixed use development in a rural community like Pacifica. Yes, we are considered rural.
Everything Bray says is either pure fiction or smoke from the vallemar hippies
Dream on. 40,000 people, 10 minutes from SF is hardly rural. If you want to maintain the "feel" of rural, then prevent pernicious urban sprawl. Support smart, mixed use, densly populated and walkable hubs around public transit nodes.
Bullying and puffery like yours only serves to keep us on the path to the toilet.
Who's Jim?
Just cause Steve doesn't like it I'll repeat it again.
The city should [look into] imposing a fee for store fronts sitting empty more than 6 months. That will light a fire under the landlords ass. Eureka Square has been mostly empty for a decade or more. They have raised the rents to very high rates even though tenents move out. Make it more expensive to keep stores empty and everybody wins, even the landlord.
Oh yeah, charge him a fee for empty store fronts. That'll fix him. The empty store fronts aren't hurting the guy, doubt some cheesy city fee would either. Let the guy build his condos/apts. We need them and they are perfectly situated. Come on city council, move your ass and make some changes. Take a break from giving stuff away. You might like it!
The rents too damned High!!!
Bray you are the town goof
Pescadero and Portola Valley are rural. Pacifica Is not.
The Chamber has already explored the possibility of charging a fee for vacant buildings in a shopping center with the City. I was personally told this is not allowable.
That landlord's doing just fine. He doesn't need financial advice.
What he did want several years ago was rezoning so he could build condos or apts on that site. No cooperation from the city so we have a mostly empty, old, strip mall. Housing on that site would make better sense. Brilliant move Pathetica. Maybe he'd still like to build? Maybe if we really did have a "new" development friendly council they'd make growth possible? Pursue it with half the enthusiasm with which they have conned us. Yeah, go to your lifeboat stations, now.
Chris, the Chamber has zero authority to try to do this. The city probably couldn't legality put any kind of restriction on the landlord except maintaining the property.
The chamber should be working on trying to bring business in.
With the massive due increase at the chamber I can see a mass exit of advertisers and members.
sounds like wishful thinking 1227
I talked with the business owner in question - he's a long time musician buddy of mine - and what happened was that business was bad, the lease was up, and he closed. There was no discussion or proposal of a rent increase.
The good pastor knew nothing, and proved it, and the thought that the chamber of commerce has any interest in how much people pay for anything is really a funny thought. You'd think they'd care about their membership, but recent "business" decisions have proved otherwise.
Oh Lionel, you're such a buzzkill. The truth isn't nearly as fun as rumors and witch hunts. Businesses close for all kinds of reasons. This particular one could have used more customers and that's a common story in this town. Pro-business rhetoric doesn't mean money in the till.
Thank you, Lionel Emde.
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