RE: Link

They might prefer the Hopper Street location, as that is what they were looking at last spring. But I thought I read that the mayor wanted Friedman's to go into the Regency Center development (Target) and then create a lumberyard district there that would prevent any other stores opening up in Petaluma that sell lumber. Isn't it really more important to accommodate the mayor's whims, and not the needs of a prospective new business or the goals in the general plan?

It seems a Friedman’s store would be a great addition to the local retail mix. While I’m a fan of Rex Hardware, Friedman’s would offer the obvious supplement of building supplies.

Again my only hope is that Friedman’s and other surrounding retailers in the Hopper St. area will develop an intelligent plan for upgrading existing roads, which will service their new location, and other surrounding retail stores. An aerial view of the Hopper street location certainly shows ample room for a Friedman’s store.

I hope City Hall gets this one right.

This is great, I would also love to see Friedman's in Petaluma. But what ever happened to Deer Creek? At the Chamber Expo I met with these people and studied their project which included a Lowe's. Where are the Deer Creek people these days?

So many questions and no idea where to turn for answers... David?

Here is what will happen next:

1. The anti-business Council will embrace Friedmans because they are "local".
2. The Friedmans project will provide a way for the Council to delay Deer Creek because we shouldn't have two home improvement stores.
3. Nothing will happen with Friedmans because the City will try to make them pay for all the infrastructure work that would have to be done.
4. Two years from now we are back in the same place.

I like Friedmans and usually go there first when I leave Petaluma to buy home materials but I think Deer Creek is ready now and fits within the General Plan. Friedmans is in the conceptual stage so I don't see it as anything more than a delay. Hey, maybe they will let both of them build and compete...sorry, lost it for a moment there.

This is the proposed the Deer Creek Project
Link

The city didn’t respond to its latest application submittal within the time frame specified by state law, so the project should be ready for public review. Here is the article.

Link

The FEIR has been completed and would create 500 new jobs and over $1 million in city revenue a year. Not to mention the construction jobs to build the center.

Friedmans would be a better fit for the community than Lowe's.

Fine, put Friedman's in Deer Creek Village. But if the council really wants Friedman's on Hopper Street then let's get a Costco in place of the home improvement store at Deer Creek. I know, only in my dreams...

That article is dated July '09. Any new updates?

Petaluma's Veteran's Day parade was saved by both Deer Creek and Friedman's financial donations.

Link

I am looking forward to both projects being completed, they both will be great assets to Petaluma.

Well it's not like Petaluma couldn't use a real home improvement store with an actual lumberyard. I've long been of the opinion that Petaluma lost Lowes to Cotati because of council and staff shenanigans, so it makes it hard to see how or why Lowes would all of a sudden ride in when they already have a large regional store open just a few miles up the road.

Presuming that the Hopper Street location is a real go, and the proposed store would be full line with a wide selection of lumber and materials could we perhaps presume that the location is strong because of the proximity of rail service? After all, sewer issues aside, it was the lack of rail service that helped chase Adobe Lumber out of town.

If the rail answer is no, then the intersection at Lakeville and Caulfield is going to become a real disaster of constant big rigs in and out when added to such traffic already there.

quote:

Originally posted by Karen Nau:
Petaluma's Veteran's Day parade was saved by both Deer Creek and Friedman's financial donations.

Link

I am looking forward to both projects being completed, they both will be great assets to Petaluma.

Karen,

It was more than just those two, many of other businesses contributed too. Powell's to name one.

Whether it is a good idea or not, just because a company contributes to something like this does not necessarily mean they should be approved.

WILL
.
.

Will,
My apologies for not including all the donors who came through with financial contributions to help save the Veteran's Day Parade. It takes a whole community, the discussion happened to be on the current situation of Deer Creek and Friedman's.

Thank you for correcting my oversight.
Karen