After (perhaps finally) listening to the concerns of local residents, while also facing a special election and a lawsuit, Broadway Plaza owners announced that the high-end retailer Neiman Marcus would submit a revised plan for its downtown Walnut Creek project, the Contra Costa Times is reporting Tuesday.
Both the special election and the lawsuit could have essentially blocked Neiman Marcus from coming to Walnut Creek. The Times says:
Macerich Co., which owns Broadway Plaza, is asking the Walnut Creek City Council to repeal an earlier approval paving the way for the downtown store decision which ultimately allowed the store in downtown.
But Neiman Marcus will someday be in Walnut Creek, said Chuck Davis, vice president of development for Macerich.
After conducting phone surveys and saying they have listened to the community, Macerich officials are going back to the drawing board. They plan to unveil a new Neiman Marcus plan in several weeks. How that will affect the size of the store or downtown parking concerns, Davis
wouldn't elaborate.
To read more from the Times story, click here.
Meanwhile, to read more Crazyinsuburbia.blogspot.com posts about this troubled project, check out a couple posts that might help explain the new gesture by Macerich and Neiman Marcus to show a bit more sensitivity to community concerns:
The "Shadowy" Suspects Behind the Plot to Derail WC's Neiman Marcus Project
Good Commentary on WC City Council’s Tone Deafness Regarding the Neiman Marcus Project
1 comment:
It is not just Macerich who are finally "listening" to the citizens of Walnut Creek. (Did they really need to do a phone survey to find that their plans were not satisfactory to the citizenery?) The reality is that City Hall and their developing friends got a wake-up call when the people spoke loudly through the petition process.
Interesting that the Times did not run an article announcing the qaulification of the ballot measure. Would be nice to know just how many signatures were valid and just when the City finished the certification process.
Let us hope that all involved have truly learned something from this exercise.....that the citizens of Walnut Creek are willing to stand up and fight when pushed over the edge by arrogant city leaders who continue to ignore those who they are supposed to represent.
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