From The Press-Enterprise: & The Sun Telegram

From the Sun Telegram:
April 17, 2006

Proposal for retail center advances
Group opposes any big-box stores in GT
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun
stephen.wall@sbsun.com <stephen.wall@sbsun.com>

GRAND TERRACE - Plans for the largest shopping center in city history are moving forward despite the opposition of some residents.

At a special meeting last week, the City Council selected a developer to build a retail center expected to include a Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse.

But a residents' group says it is determined to stop the construction of a Lowe's or any big-box store in the city. "We want to keep Grand Terrace a bedroom community," said Mark Jolstead, spokesman for the group We The Residents of Grand Terrace. "We don't want this type of industry. We're going to make sure it never gets built in Grand Terrace." Jolstead said a big-box store such as Lowe's would bring noise, traffic, air pollution and other problems. "It's just not suitable for Grand Terrace," said Jolstead, 52. However, he said the group does support plans for a new Stater Bros. and a county branch library, which also would be part of the shopping center.

Woodland Hills developer Doug Jacobsen has proposed a 20-acre center on Barton Road between Michigan Avenue and Canal Street. The $40 million project is expected to generate about $600,000 in annual sales-tax revenue for the city, officials said.

But to build a center of that size, Jacobsen needs to acquire a 1.9-acre piece of land owned by Barton Road resident Jo Stringfield. Jacobsen has contracts to buy the other 13 properties needed for the project, City Manager Tom Schwab said.

Stringfield, whose family has owned a home on Barton for more than 50 years, has refused to sell her property to make way for Jacobsen's project. Instead, Stringfield expressed interest in building her own shopping center on the site. She refused to present details of her development plans when asked by council members Thursday night.

As a result, the council unanimously agreed to choose Jacobsen as the developer of the project.
City officials will continue trying to work out a deal to acquire Stringfield's property, Schwab said.
If the city is unable to get her land voluntarily or through eminent domain, Jacobsen said he would build a scaled-down project that would exclude Stringfield's parcel.

The modified 18-acre proposal would be too small for a Lowe's, however. It would include a Stater Bros., library, restaurants and other stores. Stater Bros. would move from its current location at Barton and Mount Vernon Avenue to a larger store in the new center. The new supermarket would offer an expanded deli, a bakery, a bank and a wider selection of products, Jack Brown, Stater Bros. chairman of the board and chief executive officer, told the council.

"What I like about this project," said Mayor Maryetta Ferre on Friday, "is the fact that we have Jack Brown and Doug Jacobsen, two financially experienced, forward-thinking men who are willing to put their money into our city."


Town center development proposal withdrawn

GRAND TERRACE: A resident facing eminent domain action pulls the planned project.
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, April 14, 2006
By JULIE FARREN
The Press-Enterprise

GRAND TERRACE - A resident fighting the use of eminent domain against her property has withdrawn her proposal to develop a town center on her land and neighboring parcels.
Jo Stringfield, who owns 1.9 acres on Barton Road in Grand Terrace, made the announcement Thursday night through her attorney, C. Robert Ferguson, at a special joint meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency, City Council and Planning Commission.
Her plan had included a restaurant and offices.

The site's developer, Jacobsen Family Holdings LLC, plans to build a 20-acre Grand Terrace Town Center and has agreements with Stater Bros. and Lowe's Home Improvement Store to be anchors.

Developer Doug Jacobsen has purchased 13 of the 14 parcels at the site, at Barton Road and Michigan Avenue. Jacobsen said he has invested almost $4 million so far.

The city's discussions with Jacobsen started in 2003, said City Manager Tom Schwab. The Redevelopment Agency and Jacobsen signed a contract in February 2005, Schwab said.
Stringfield, who declined to comment before the meeting, has been offered more than $1 million by Jacobsen Family Holdings but has not accepted.

Ferguson said the project was in the works before his client was contacted about selling her property. Ferguson said Stringfield was not given the opportunity to participate in the plans.
Stringfield submitted her first letter seeking to participate on July 27, 2005, Ferguson said. She did not receive a response until November, he said.

As a homeowner facing eminent-domain proceedings, Stringfield has the right to submit a plan for redevelopment of her property.

Councilman Herman Hilkey said he would have preferred to hear Stringfield's point of view because there are varying stories about what she wants to do. Hilkey said she has expressed a desire to stay in her home, as well as develop the land on her own terms.

Ferguson would not let Stringfield speak to the council.

Before the meeting, several citizens groups opposed to the town center held a demonstration in front of City Hall.

Cynthia Bidney, a Grand Terrace resident for 20 years, said she and her husband, Ken, and their 10-year-old son, Dalton, live on Pascal Street, behind the proposed center.
"I'm afraid of the increase in traffic," she said. "My son's school is across the street and I'm afraid of the increase in transient business. It would bring too many strangers into town."
The center would include a 44,000-square-foot Stater Bros. store. The store, the only grocery store in Grand Terrace, would move from its location at Barton Road and Mount Vernon Avenue.

Schwab said Stater Bros.' lease in the Grand Terrace Shopping Center expired in December 2004 and is now month-to-month, so there would be no restrictions on it moving.
Schwab said it is important to keep Stater Bros. in town. That prospect could be lost if the project is put on hold, he said.

"As a community, we're at risk of losing our only grocery store," Schwab said.
The project would include Miguel Jr.'s, Chili's, Auto Zone, the Grand Terrace library and several banks.


Reach Julie Farren at (909) 806-3066 or jfarren@PE.com
Online at:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sanbernardino/stories/PE_News_
Local_B_bcenter15.228dd37d.html