Minden Press-Herald Coverage

Here is how we reacted...
http://www.nwlanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3895&Itemid=1

to this...
http://www.nwlanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3875&Itemid=1

An editorial about why I feel this way...
http://www.nwlanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3877&Itemid=29


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Historic home could be site of new business

Written by Jana Ryan
Thursday, 26 April 2007
Restoring a historic home, providing a $50,000 trust for the Minden Historic District and preserving the integrity of Minden's historic district are the goals of an unnamed retailer, who wishes to construct a commercial business on the corner of Homer Road and Elm Street.Craig and Mona Farley, whose 104-year-old Greek revival home stands on the site in question, and Brooks Holstein of Retail Net Lease LLC, Florida, confirmed Wednesday that negotiations are underway for the sale of property, located at 101 Homer Road.Two additional property owners, whose land neighbors that of the Farleys, have indicated that they too have been approached about the sale of their land. Both wished to remain anonymous at this time.The location in question is currently zoned R-2 (single family residence). Such an endeavor would require the Minden Regional Planning Commission as well as the Minden City Council to give their nod of approval to rezoning the area to commercial use.According to Craig and Mona Farley, initial attempts by the developer, Retail Net Lease LLC out of Florida, were rebuffed. However, due to the deterioration of their historic home, which is in need of around $150,000 to $200,000 worth of repairs, they decided to listen to what the company had to offer. The Farleys made a list of, for better lack of a word, demands, and up to this point, the developer and its client has been agreeable to all of the specified stipulations.The list includes that the home be moved to property located on the southwest corner of Broadway and Kirby Circle. This effort will only require the removal of one tulip tree. The developer has also assured the Farleys that their client intends to maintain the grounds of the historic homesite and not clear the property of its majestic trees.The parties have also agreed that the proposed new building and grounds will reflect the historic look and feel of the district, with the buyer requesting, receiving and following appropriate guidelines, direction and approval for the design and features from the State of Louisiana Staff architect for the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Division of Historic Preservation.A provision will be made part of the deed, which will require the owner of the property to obtain advance approval for any future changes and/or additions to the site from the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation. This provision will be binding for all future owners of the property.The buyers have also agreed that after construction is completed, it will have signs erected at the location, which describes the historical significance of the site.In addition, the buyer has also agreed to donate $50,000 to the preservation of Minden's Historic District. The funds will go into a trust to be used for historic preservation and betterment of the City."We've asked for some unusual things, but I don't think we've been greedy," said Mona Farley. "We've tried to make it fair for everybody. This is a way to set a precedent, to get something in there that will be maintained for ever and ever in a certain way, get the house fixed and also get $50,000 for historic preservation. You can't hardly beat that."Another provision in the Contract of Purchase and Sell states that prior to the signing of the actual Purchase and Sell Agreement, the buyer will disclose to the Farleys the entity purchasing the property and the specific business that will be constructed at the 101 Homer Road location. The Farleys said if they feel that the specified business will not be conducive at the location, they will pull out of the deal.No contracts have been signed and the Farleys say their property will not be sold if the buyer does not follow through with all of their specified provisions. The project also depends on whether or not agreements can be reached with the other property owners and if the buyers can acquire the support of the City.According to Holstein, the land acquisition project began approximately 60 days ago."We've been actively interested in Minden for well over a year and have evaluated a number of different properties and we felt this was an opportunity to do something beneficial for the landowners, hopefully beneficial for our retailer as well as the city," said Holstein.Holstein said the Farleys have been very clear about their interests and concerns for the quality of life in Minden as well as their commitment to maintain their property and the surrounding area in a "pristine" manner."But, their primary goal was trying to preserve the integrity of their home and insure its longevity," said Holstein.Holstein and each of his partners have been in the development business for 25 years. They also have experience in developing commercial properties within historic districts."I developed a free standing restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia, which, as you can imagine, has extremely stringent criteria in terms of trying to maintain an economic viable community outside of colonial Williamsburg while at the same time maintaining a sense of place and presence along the Richmond Highway," said Holstein. "This isn't a first time experience for me to do something like this."Holstein said the Williamsburg project was very challenging and the community involvement was a "unique" experience - the same as what is being proposed for the Farley property. "I can assure you we have full support of our retailer to try to find an architecturally aesthetic facility that will compliment the existing public and private structures in the near proximity to the property," said Holstein.According to the developer, one reason for their selection of this particular site was its proximity to downtown Minden."That plays a very big part of it," said Holstein. "We see the viability of downtown - the proximity of other businesses - and downtown is a big part of the long-term redevelopment of most communities. This is a service-oriented business and the more convenient it is, the better they feel that they are as a long-term tenant."At this time, no rezoning requests have come before the Regional Planning Commission or the Minden City Council. However, the Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce met Wednesday and agreed to draft a proposition in support of a future commercial site at the Farley home location. Commenting strictly on an economic viewpoint, Jason Ebey, president of the Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce said, "Any new retail chain or retail store that were to develop in the Minden area is an absolute positive for our area. The development of jobs and revenue for more sales tax dollars would improve a substantial increase in the economic scope for Minden-South Webster.”"I think it's going to be one of those developments in your city that, over the coming years, your city administration and your elected officials are going to say, 'This is a development where a developer came into town and exceeded our expectations in their willingness to be a part of our community and contribute to our vision rather than detract from our vision of what we're trying to accomplish with Main Street,'" said Holstein.

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Possible business in Historic District met with opposition

Written by Jana Ryan
Friday, 27 April 2007
Historic District residents and other Minden natives are voicing strong opposition to the proposed construction of a commercial business at the corner of Homer Road and Elm Street.On Thursday, the Minden Press-Herald reported that Retail Net Lease LLC out of Florida has entered into negotiations with Craig and Mona Farley, the owners of the 104-year-old Greek revival home, located at 101 Homer Road, as well as several other neighboring property owners. The firm, working for an unnamed retailer, wishes to construct a commercial business at the site, which is currently zoned R-2 (single family residence).According to the Farleys, initial propositions by the developer were rebuffed; however, due to the deterioration of their historic home, which is in need of around $150,000 to $200,000 worth of repairs, they decided to listen to what the company had to offer. Jackie Lewis, a Historic District resident, who lives with her husband and children at 512 Fort Ave., is spearheading a resistance to a commercial business at the location. By Thursday afternoon, she had composed a letter regarding the issue and she, as well as other Historic District residents were going door to door, spreading the word of the proposed commercial property and encouraging people to attend an emergency meeting to discuss the situation. Not only Historic District residents, but all concerned Mindenites are urged to attend the meeting, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, at a yet to be determined location."This is a corporation — this isn't, 'Oh, we love downtown Minden and we care about Minden,'" said Lewis. "This is what these people do as a profession. If they want to help out the Historic District and restore things, there are plenty of places they could do this without taking out the most prominent historic downtown home."Properties constructed by Retail Net Lease LLC include Walgreens drug stores, Ruby Tuesday restaurants and Starbucks. At this time, neither the name of the company's client or the type of business involved in the proposal has been released; however, in a previous interview with Brooks Holstein of Retail Net Lease LLC, the proposed business is not a restaurant. For several months prior to Wednesday's confirmation of ongoing negotiations between the property owners and the development company, rumors had been circulating that Walgreens was coming to Minden. Even Mayor Bill Robertson said he had heard rumors, from an unofficial source, that Walgreens was coming to town. However, Walgreens Corporate Spokesperson Carol Hively said last Friday that there is no information in the company's database indicating plans for Minden or Webster Parish. She added that doesn't necessarily mean the company isn't scouting the area.After Lewis learned of the proposed commercial property, she began researching the development company."I researched this a good bit," said Lewis. "Let's say this is a Walgreens - this is something that Walgreens does all the time. They pick the most prominent, historic house or houses and tear them down and put in these businesses, or they say, 'We'll move the house,' or 'We're doing this to restore the house,' but they are not. They are doing this for business. This business may be good for five or 10 years and then what are they going to do with it? It's not good at all for the Historic District."Lewis' research provided information on communities who have fought corporate invasion into Historic Districts."Other communities have fought it and said, 'We don't want that,' so they've (developers) gone downtown and revitalized some of the old abandoned buildings downtown and made a beautiful facade in the front where it blended in it gave them what they wanted," said Lewis. "It was absolutely gorgeous for the town and everybody benefited. We're more than willing to go over proposals and help in any way we can in finding an alternate location, but we just do not feel that (Homer Road and Elm Street) is a proper location for a business — not right there."Lewis has contacted the National Trust for Historic Homes, garnering its support in the fight to keep the Historic District intact.Schelley Brown, executive director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum and 2007 president of the Historic Residential Association, said she has talked with Craig and Mona Farley and understands their predicament with having a home that needs repairs; however, she believes a business at that location would be "intrusive" and added, "There are plenty of other places in Minden to do something like that.""As being a part of the Historic District, many of the homes need repairs and many of us can't afford it, but having business come in, when they see that can take advantage of the situation — I just don't see how turning a residential area into commercial property can be good for the residents and for our property values," said Brown. "Everybody who bought a house or lives in the Historic District bought those homes because they wanted that distinction, including Mona and Craig. You bought that house because you loved history and wanted to preserve that part of Minden that is precious to us."On Thursday, the Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce adopted a resolution in support of the proposed commercial development at the Homer Road site if the following list of conditions set forth by the Farleys are met:1) The home is moved to property located on the southwest corner of Broadway and Kirby Circle. 2) The proposed new building and grounds will reflect the historic look and feel of the district, with the buyer requesting, receiving and following appropriate guidelines, direction and approval for the design and features from the State of Louisiana Staff architect for the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Division of Historic Preservation.3) A provision will be made part of the deed, which will require the owner of the property to obtain advance approval for any future changes and/or additions to the site from the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation. This provision will be binding for all future owners of the property.4) After construction is completed, the buyer will have signs erected at the location, which describes the historical significance of the site.5) A $50,000 donation will be made to the preservation of Minden's Historic District. The funds will go into a trust to be used for historic preservation and betterment of the City."The Chamber felt very solid that it could pass a resolution of support for this project to continue with the Farleys being able to reject this proposal if they were not in favor of the specific business coming onto their property," said Jason Ebey, Chamber president. "The Chamber is in support of it mainly because we did not want to see the house lost. By accepting the provisions that the Farleys have set out, Minden will not lose one of its landmarks."Ebey said the Chamber believes that the Farleys, in their negotiations, have tried to look out for Minden's best interest."We feel that the Farleys tried to look out for Minden's best interest," said Ebey. "By getting $50,000 in a historical trust, hopefully, additional preservation of other properties will be contagious and we can see revitalization throughout the Historical District and downtown historical Minden."Mayor Bill Robertson was out of town Friday and not available for comment.Tuesday's 6:30 p.m. meeting is open to the public, not just Historic District residents and all interested parties are encouraged to attend.