Grove should work with Home Depot

Posted on Sunday, February 13, 2005 

Soapbox

For all new Grove residents who have moved here after October 2004, you should be aware a Big-K box store just moved out. For other longtime residents like myself, let me remind you, before Kmart, we had a Mervyn's, before that, Zayre's.

Since the inception of the center on Bird Road and Southwest 32nd Avenue, there has always been a box store tenant, not a mom and pop store and certainly not a quaint Coconut Grove home. The hue and cry against Home Depot moving in smacks of the NIMBY, or ''not in my backyard,'' mentality that just doesn't compute when it comes to that space. This is a commercial shopping area with a Taco Bell in the parking lot, not an annex of Merrick Park.

There are complaints about increased traffic. Doesn't the increased town house building impact population density, thereby already increasing traffic in the area?

Complain about losing Milam's. It would be a terrible loss, I agree, but according to Milam's management, it's staying for the duration of its lease. Renewal or extension is the decision of the property's owner.

Regarding the complaints of decreased property values, the Southwest Eighth Street store is blocks from a run down trailer park, a cemetery, small duplexes, car repair and other businesses -- an area that never will be comparable to the pricey town houses of Coconut Grove. The price paid for Grove property in that area with Big-K, Payless Shoes and Walgreens was not adversely affected. It's doubtful if another box store moving will decrease Grove property values.

If we have Shell Lumber, why do we need Home Depot. Shell is great, with wonderful staff and popcorn, too. Its lumber is top quality -- and expensive. However, it's not open at night and currently not on Sundays. For those of us who work long hours, or who have an emergency, a store that offers evening and weekends is a necessity and fact of life.

Instead of complaining, why don't we work toward getting Home Depot to scale down the size of their store and return to the original Home Depot ''light'' concept, as the likelihood exists there will be one box store tenant or another in that space ultimately?

M. GARBETT

COCONUT GROVE

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