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U.S. 41 widening: Classification change could let Wal-Mart open sooner
of U.S. 41 and Estero Parkway
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ESTERO — A change in the way U.S. 41 is classified could allow a new Wal-Mart to be built sooner than expected in Estero.
Chris Smith told members of the Estero Council of Community Leaders that he attended a meeting where the issue was discussed recently.
The proposed Wal-Mart is at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Estero Parkway.
Smith explained that the change would be from “super-concurrency” to “concurrency” regarding the widening of U.S. 41.
Concurrency, he explained, is if the road is scheduled for improvement within three years, then the proposed construction can go forward. Super-concurrency means that Wal-Mart cannot turn a spade of dirt prior to the dirt being turned for the widening.
Wal-Mart has a proposal on the table for the change and is requisitioning a new traffic study “to say the road isn’t as bad as it is,” Smith said. “They will try to come up with some new parameters.”
The group plans to go before the planning council in November, then to the county in June with a development order in place by next September, he said.
“The paperwork will take about six months with start-up construction for March 2010 and it will be complete a year later in March 2011,” Smith said.
“The original Wal-Mart dollars (were) set for 2010-11 anyway,” he said. “Those dollars have already shifted. That’s where they are trying to go with it.”
However, in the same discussion, on item needed to be completed first is a traffic light at Estero Parkway because a fly-over is expected to be complete and open in the spring, Smith said.
When the fly-over opens, traffic is expected to increase from 6,000 vehicles a day to 30,000 a day on Estero Boulevard.
Don Eslick, of the Estero Council of Community Leaders, said that during a recent meeting, the county indicated it could advance some money to the state to pay for the traffic signal because a bridge on Estero Parkway was less than budgeted.
“It could be operational in conjunction with the fly-over,” he said. “We need to revisit this.”
Eslick attended a metropolitan planning meeting Friday morning and Florida Department of Transportation representatives were asked about a retention pond that was holding up the U.S. 41 upgrades. The design has been finished and is now ready to go to the county for a friendly condemnation lawsuit.
In a February newspaper article, the lawsuit was discussed: The state would have to file to condemn a few acres of the old Boomer property, a historic Estero River-front estate sitting on 41 acres west of U.S. 41. The county could choose not to oppose the suit — a so-called friendly condemnation.
The procedure would let the county off the hook. The cost of the $14.5 million Boomer property was split between the state and the county. But the county portion was purchased through the taxpayer-funded Conservation 2020.
Lee County Commissioners are careful to spend the voter-approved tax only for conservation and dug in their heels when the state suggested purchasing it two years ago.
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E-mail Valli Finney at vallimfinney@yahoo.com
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Be still my heart. Another WalMart sooner than expected. All we need is a few concurrency adjustments. Wouldn't it be great it they could have the grand opening on the Chinese New Year. We're talking party time!
#1 Posted by swampbuggy on September 19, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Should be that the Wal-Mart is coming to the corner of Estero Parkway and US-41 and not "the corner of U.S. 41 and Corkscrew Road."
Is it really that difficult to get the simple facts right? Pertinent facts that dramatically alter the storyline? Perhaps you should get Barry's Online School of Journalism to give you your money back for that diploma. No wonder newspapers continue to bleed readers. Pathetic.
#2 Posted by Smark on September 19, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was in Ace Hardware today in San Carlos Park. I was looking for a striker plate, retail 3.99. the one I found in white, was made in China.
The local hardware store is gone. Ace Hardware gets most of their goods from China. Units, at least...maybe not dollars.
The janitors get blown away in collier, and there is a funeral?
This started 35 years ago when someone discovered that making goods overseas, and eliminating domestic jobs improved the margins and made the stockholders happy.
The stock market made a few people happy and a lot of people sad.
#3 Posted by volochine on September 20, 2008 at 1:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Are not the recently built strip malls along 41 in Estero and Bonita Springs empty? So will a large big box WalMart help the problem, I don't think so.
#4 Posted by stevejean on September 20, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Although I like Wal Mart , it just seems to be overkill. 5 in Lee County already and 6 in Collier ( including the Wal Mart Market Place Grocery store at Airport ad Pine Ridge)
The corner they are looking at for this Wal Mart used to be nice. Now there is a strip plaza just south of the intersection there and soon more drool boring unused store front.
#5 Posted by Jadip811 on September 20, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Can Walgreens be far behind
#6 Posted by Biff on September 20, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wal-Mart needs another store in this area like they need a dose of the clap. They will close another one probably.
Walgreens/CVS wil always be profitable due to government reimbursement. This is no matter how close they are.
#7 Posted by volochine on September 21, 2008 at 12:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe another Starbucks is needed!
Oh yeah, they figured that their dense business model sucked the life out of their other stores...
You know there are too many stores when you realize one store is 5 miles away, when their sister store is 4.5 miles away.
200,000 sf with 10 employees and 3 customers...
Go Wally World!!!
#8 Posted by workattack on September 21, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its good for people who need jobs.
Its not good news for mom and pop stores unless you provide a service rather than over priced junk
#9 Posted by NeezDutz on September 22, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. No surprise that Mall Wart appeals to the likes of deep thinkers like JunkYardDog. Look around Estero. Mall Wart will attract more of this type of critter, while shipping more of your money overseas. Mall Wart your home for cheap plastic crap.
#10 Posted by Vegatox on September 22, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I didn't know that blogging required a face.
#11 Posted by Vegatox on September 22, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amazing that the Estero planning board or council, or whatever their called would allow a Mall Wart here. They spend all their time making sure Estero looks all generic and pretty and then allow a white trash box store in the middle of it? I say that with the upmost respect for white trash as I consider myself to be one, but even I have the dignity to never set foot in a Mall Wart.
#12 Posted by Vegatox on September 22, 2008 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
123 ain't me. Nothing against him/her.
I am CutthroatLiberal.
Once driver08.
Never been more than that.
That's all I've got.
Hiding from nuthin.
#13 Posted by LieStopper on September 22, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Naaa.
Never really ticked dog.
I really am tiring of this site lately.
Ndn seems to want to build a community here, then they cut your throat. Gotta be a better way.
#14 Posted by LieStopper on September 22, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks Gator. I retired yesterday.
I am done with the NDN.
They walk all over the commenters.
Imagine being a liberal here too.
LETS ALL QUIT THIS LAME SITE.
#15 Posted by LieStopper on September 23, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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