Local News: Business Interests Object to Changes at Northgate

Sphere: Related Content Business Owners Less Than Thrilled Over Northgate Changes
Reporter: Ashlea Sigman

From KBTX Channel 3

At a meeting Tuesday night, Northgate business owners, City of College Station employees and TXDOT employees often disagreed over plans to change the look of Northgate.

TXDOT is planning a $2 Million facelift for the area, and trying to make good on a deal it made with the city of College Station and Texas A&M, for a project already completed on Discovery Drive.

TXDOT and some city staff members said changes to Northgate are needed for pedestrian safety, but some business owners think the changes could hurt them.

For work to actually start, the city council has to approve TXDOT's plan and pass a resolution. Originally, Tuesday's meeting was seen as one of the last hurdles before TXDOT could make a recommendation to the city. Now, it looks like that recommendation could be delayed.

Changes to two intersections weren't met with much opposition, so TXDOT will still recommend making the Wellborn/University intersection a "T", and putting in a light at University and Boyett, employees said.

However, other proposed changes are still up in the air.

TXDOT's original proposal included wider sidewalks, a 9' median where University meets College Main and Houston Streets, and closing off a block of those streets for a pedestrian mall.

Some business owners weren't happy about losing the parking; others said they needed a place for their delivery trucks to park.

A compromise TXDOT presented was to leave the parking, but make those spots a delivery zone for part of the day.

Still, many of the nearly 20 businesses owners present said they were opposed to the changes, for separate reasons.

"You're like playing puppeteer in something you shouldn't be messing with," said Aaron Curs, who owns Paddock Lane and Tipsy Turtle.

Texas Aggieland Book Store owner John Raney said the changes could drive his and other day time establishments out of business.

"I would love for us to have successful daytime business, we need that, that's gonna make this district work," said David Gwin, College Station's Director of Economic and Community Development. "The reality is, if somebody can step up and pay a much higher rent because they can turn a much bigger profit on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night that's the reality and we're not talking about getting involved in that market decision," said David Gwin.

Curs disliked the idea of a pedestrian mall.

"The type of people we all don't want in Northgate are going to be loitering in that plaza. I don't understand how you guys don't perceive the huge liability with fights out of the bars. Well you just created a boxing ring," said Curs.

The business owners have asked TXDOT for more time before it presents a plan to the city. It's not clear what the timeline is.

According to TXDOT, work on the project likely won't begin until 2011.

Published on Tuesday, January 5, 2010