Jackson near Maple

Old KFC got lonely, followed Schlotsky’s.

Has anyone noticed that a lot of activity is going on in the West Stadium area? It is turning into a new satellite downtown (even a brewpub of sorts is coming, cupcakes, and new coffee shop). Tamales. A summer farmers’ market. Maybe we should start some festivals.

my eyes got really large (and sad) when I read that walgreens is moving in to the schlotsky’s lot. sad sad sad. really sad sad sad.

VA – I really like the businesses in Westgate, and I do frequent it. But I really dislike the fact that it’s essentially a charmless gigantic parking lot.

There actually was a festival there this past summer… don’t remember the occasion but they had a beer tent, live music, the whole shebang.

I think that was the Westgate Summer Festival, in July. [Link]

Walgreens? Ugh.

The city needs to put in place design guidelines before the Maple/Stadium-Jackson area becomes the next Washtenaw Ave. The way things are going, we’re in for an aesthetic and traffic nightmare.

Yes, it is a challenge to make a 50s-60s style auto strip into a walkable retail community. But you go with the street you got. Anyone got any ideas on how to correct design flaws? I noticed that the Area-Height-Placement talks focused on this area, main ideas were to build up and close to sidewalks. But how do you do area planning under our site plan system?

I’ll try to make the festival this year.

Bigger space now -the old KFC & the other 2 buildings on the side street behind are also gone.

A brand new Walgreens sure beats 2 dead fast-food buildings. The Slotzski’s lot seems to have been vacant more years than it’s had any active business (remember Arthur Treacher’s anyone?). Installing a Walgreens at that location will be much more pedestrian-friendly for residents living on the east side of Maple. While I love (and frequent via auto) the collection of shops in Westgate, it’s layout is more geared to non-resident drivers than local pedestrians.
I’m sure the Walgreen’s design is already in place, but it would be nice if it was retro-style like the new construction being finished east of Platt on Packard. Nevertheless, almost anything that will freshen up that corner will be an improvement. For new visitors coming from I-94W or M14, the Jackson/Maple intersection is THE FIRST IMPRESSION they get of Ann Arbor.

The nature of the businesses on that strip don’t seem to be conducive to walkable retail, unless you want to make those businesses move to Jackson Boulevard west of Wagner. I don’t see Little Caesar’s, CVS, Naylor’s Chrysler-Jeep, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Belle Tire, and Ace Hardware as places you might just casually walk by and pick something up on a whim. They are each specific destinations unto themselves. Even Arbor Farms, a smaller grocery store, isn’t on the same small scale as a neighborhood corner grocer a la Sesame Street. Four bags of groceries, a gallon of milk, and snowy cold weather all point to probable use of a motor vehicle. Brick and mortar retail margins are smaller, so the draw area for each business needs to be larger for growth and survival. Have you noticed that most of these businesses are in niches that internet shopping is less competitive? It’s either immediate convenience (drug stores), food (take out and restaurants), large bulky specialty items (cars and appliances), or high value items that are haptic (jewelry). No Briarwood or downtown type businesses here.

I don’t agree with #11 and I have seen comments elsewhere that indicates that residents nearby do walk to these businesses. I can’t because I live too far away but if I did live nearby I might stop at Arbor Farms and Ace for incidentals (I often shop at both when I am in their parking lot). Certainly making it a walkable area to the extent possible is a good objective.

We’ve been walking the mile and a quarter to Ace/AF once a week or so since moving into a new house. That said, I think jcp2′s choice of words — “probable use of a motor vehicle” — is accurate. We’re the exception, not the rule. We’re planning on making it a twice/week trip, which will allow us to carry most things in a backpack or two (by bike with better road conditions.) Carrying bags in addition with the lighter stuff hasn’t been unpleasant, though.

The sidewalks and crossings are fairly good. Snow removal ranges from great to minimal. Our collective investment in the infrastructure won’t realize a full return if maintenance isn’t performed (or enforced.)

The extension of bike lanes from Pauline to Seventh later this year will make a bike trip a quick one and more pleasant in that section, where four auto lanes will be reduced to three.

I don’t have anything against making the strip more walkable. I applaud that nearby residents walk. I would too, if I could. However, the bulk of the business will still be drawn from people (like me) who aren’t close enough to walk there. Any improvements for walkability still has to address the concerns of drivers. I drive there because it’s more convenient than driving elsewhere, but if a trip to a store involves me parking someways away and walking, and then walking back to my parking spot, then I’ll probably drive elsewhere. The K-Mart Plum Market complex is just a bit farther, Jackson Boulevard in Scio has stuff, the Target/Best Buy/Outback triumvirate is not that far, and Amazon.com sits on my desk at home.
Between work and family, I only have small portions of discretionary time to spend, so every minute saved is very valuable.

Yeah, the linearity of the Stadium strip really discourages walking. Take that distance, fold it into a grid of criss-crossing streets and you have… a downtown. But stretched out makes it unwalkable if your time is limited. It’s too bad too, because there are some interesting business nestled amid the drive-through fast food franchises.

Re: Jackson in Scio–I live off Jackson about halfway between Wagner and Zeeb, and it’s really convenient for those times I need to dash out on short notice and pick up a car.

I often walk to Arbor Farms through Eberwhite Woods (in the summer anyway) with a backpack for groceries. I do it because of the woods; when I get to Stadium it’s pretty unpleasant walking. What would make it more walkable for me would be a strip of trees and shrubs between the sidewalk and the road – more attention to the pedestrian’s experience. Right now I feel like a wild animal – when I cross the street I am liable to be roadkill. (Would anyone notice? Or would they just swerve to avoid getting my innards on their tires?)