Lake Flower Avenue at Will Rogers Drive 30.5%
Between Broadway and Depot Street 21.6%
Other (identify site with a comment) 9.8%
None — no large-scale retail in Saranac Lake 38.1%
What to think?
1) A large group (38.1%) of residents want NO large-scale retail development in Saranac Lake. However, we don't know what large-scale retail development means to the respondents in this group. An unknown proportion of this group is probably opposed to Wal-Mart no matter what the size or location of a store.
2) Less than 1/3 of residents want the store to be built at the Lake Flower Avenue site. This shouldn't be surprising given the overwhelming win of Democrats to the Village board last month. If this group truly wants a Wal-Mart they need to start thinking compromise.
3) One fifth of respondents want the store to be built in the Depot Street area and one tenth want it built in an 'other' location, but probably downtown. This is a total of 31.4% of respondents. Add in a portion of those in the last group that are likely concerned about the size of the store and you have a large group that wants a store built in the downtown area.
4) The smallest group are those supporting Wal-Mart at the Lake Flower Ave site (if you consider groups 2 and 3 to be in favor of retail development downtown.)
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2 comments:
These results do NOT SURPRISE ME. If the majority of the village wanted a 121,000 superstore on Lake Flower, then why didn't the Republicans get elected? But we must remember that WAL-MART IS NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT THE SARANAC LAKE RESIDENTS REALLY WANT. They are only interested in WHAT THEY WANT. And what they want is 121,000 square feet on Lake Flower. And if the store is not performing the way THEY WANT, well, they leave. And when they leave an empty store, it STAYS EMPTY. Wal-mart doesn't allow any business that competes with them to occupy the building. So do we have any takers for a 121,000 square foot bowling alley? Perhaps it would make a great youth center? But don't expect them to ALLOW ANY RETAIL IN THERE. THAT'S NOT HOW THEY WORK.
So am I surprised by the ADE's poll? Not at all.
I agree with your analysis PeterH.
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