The city of LaVergne is considering the installation of video cameras in Veterans Memorial Park in an effort to stop vandalism. According to the Daily News Journal, a car window was smashed and all tires flattened this past Monday. In addition, the refreshment stand at the baseball park was broken into and vandalized. The comment section is just as interesting to read,
Keep in mind that building a wall across Hurricane Creek or a gate on Murfreesboro Road at the Davidson line is not a viable or feasible suggestion. Good luck when you actually get in office, too – little harder than you suspect, I imagine.
In other city news, it appears that widening Waldron Road will cost millions more than originally planned. A second very interesting article appeared in today’s DNJ that describes why the costs are excalating and what the road could be.
City officials have said they see Waldron Road as the city’s potential location for new retail establishments coming in, but that it would need to be widened before a company would locate there. The portion of Waldron Road west of Interstate 24 has seen some growth recently with the opening of a small strip mall containing a laundromat, real estate office and beauty salon. New residential developments are also being built down the road.
Gwen Anthony lives off Waldron Road, and said the city’s push for retail is too late.
“Smyrna came in and took care of that. When we got liquor by the drink (November 2000), all the big restaurants wanted to come here, O’Charley’s, Applebee’s, Red Lobster. They wanted to come where (the CentrePointe Distribution Park) is, but were told that land was already planned for,” she said.
Filed under: In the News, LaVergne Parks, Restaurants & Retail
Wow, that just pisses me off.
As long as that Pilot truck stop is there (I-24 & Waldron), don’t expect any national/regional retail or eating establishments in the area. Look around folks. Do you see anything like that around truck stops anywhere in the country? Fast food is the most you should expect. Sad but true.
I’m Just Sayin’…..
As much as I am concerned at our property values plumetting, that isn’t currently the case.
I’ve said for a long time, what is all this retail they expect on Waldron? I still haven’t gotten an answer as to who they think is coming?
EXACTLY Michael! Where is it going to go? What retail/eating establishments would consider Waldron Rd with all the warehouse and truck traffic in the area? Maybe a Pop’s Country Meat ‘n’ Three Pool Hall Bar might work, but a Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden or Rafferty’s won’t even look our way. And don’t even THINK about Goody’s, Marshall’s, Stein Mart or TJMaxx. We’re stuck with a demographic that will only attract Family Dollar, Dollar General, Big Lots or any other “Everything’s-A-Dollar” type retail.
About the only big name retail I’ve ever seen near a truckstop is a Wal-Mart Supercenter or something of that nature. Of course, they many times will have one of the chains like possibly a Ryan’s or maybe even a Chili’s in their outparcels.
That area of town is near all the industry. That’s what is off that exit. We may as well have it industry and trucker friendly. Actually, if that Pilot was bigger with more truck parking, you’d have a much nicer facility. As it is now, many don’t even want to stop there for fuel. It’s just too crowded.
I know it’s not plan A, but catering to drivers, especially in an industrial area can bring lots of revenue in to the city. Us drivers, especially those over the road, spend money at places that are nice. We like to have a sit down restaurant near a truckstop because we get tired of fast food. We spend money at retail places like WalMart because we stock our truck with necessary supplies to make life on the road more tolerable.
I think Lavergne has already committed the one exit off 24 that is within the city limits to industry. I think it’s a bit late to try and change that fact.
Ginger, what exactly pisses you off?? The vandalism or the Waldron Road widening?
I’m Just Sayin’ – I’m not sure where you are traveling, but there are many good retail and eating establishments near truck stops. All sorts of them in the northeast and out west.
I don’t know what type of retail will come to Waldron Road. I admit that it will be difficult to get a large retailer or restaurant chain to come due to Smyrna and Hickory Hollow. But maybe if people are a little more positive and not so negative about everything, something good will happen. Our leaders need to work together better and sometimes it’s hard to see that with all the split votes we have on issues. I don’t know what they do on their annual “retreat”, but you would think they would come up with a plan and actually try and follow it.
Our city is very poor when it comes to planning out the future. My question, and if any city officials could answer that would be great, does the city have a 3, 5 or 10 year plan?? All successful organizations have a plan. I bet we don’t have one.
blah blah…or may I just call you “blah”?…
What pisses me off is:
1) the vandalism
2) that it appears that there was a lack of planning if the widening is now going to cost millions more than originally budgeted
3) This: “When we got liquor by the drink (November 2000), all the big restaurants wanted to come here, O’Charley’s, Applebee’s, Red Lobster. They wanted to come where (the CentrePointe Distribution Park) is, but were told that land was already planned for.” because it seems like the city planners settled for yet another warehouse when if they had done some research and development planning, perhaps they would have held out for the restaurants and retail, which would have attracted more dollars from travelers, as well as patrons from South Nashville.
Hindsight is 20×20.
“…because it seems like the city planners settled for yet another warehouse when if they had done some research and development planning, perhaps they would have held out for the restaurants and retail, which would have attracted more dollars from travelers, as well as patrons from South Nashville.”
POST-OF-THE-DAY HERE FOLKS!
After I posted yesterday I realized something. The new Smyrna Town Center where Target is going didn’t start construction until AFTER the Rush Trucking center opened. So I don’t think truckers have anything to do with it.
I also realized what retail the city is interested in: Wal-Mart.
Think about it, the two closest Wal-Mart’s are in Smyrna near Murfreesboro, and in Antioch. Neither are close to us under current Wal-Mart standards. A Wal-Mart on Waldron Road would accomplish two purposes:
1 – It would be a Wal-Mart to service all of La Vergne, North Smyrna, Nolensville (yes, what’s the next closest wal-mart? And don’t tell me people in Nolensville don’t go to Wal-Mart. This would also be the closest Wal-Mart to an interstate between Murfreesboro and Nashville, and I think that could bring in the truckers too.
2 – It would be a ‘big-box’ that would attract other retailers. and small strip malls.
I normally don’t think of Wal-Mart as bringing up the community, but I really think it could be in this case. And if you think about the Wal-Mart’s recently constructed in Nashville off Nolensville Road, you can see they are now trying to be more community friendly (ie building a bridge instead of paving over a creek). Plus the committment of a retailer would help finally get this widening project done.
Attention City Leaders – If this isn’t what you are thinking, feel free to steal this idea. There is one big box retailer who will come here and it is Wal-Mart. GO GET THEM!!!
I can fall in line with a Wal-Mart in the area. But the Rush Truck Center is a Sales & Service center, not a re-fueling “truckstop”. That’s like comparing a car dealership with a food mart. Apples and oranges.
Even though your Wal-Mart theory makes sense, it still does not answer the question “Where does it go?”
And this raises another question: Are the trucking-related businesses in LV REALLY paying their fair share of taxes to the city? After all, it’s their 80,000 pound vehicles that rip apart the roads and streets in that part of La Vergne. It may have been welcome 20 years ago when the city needed that revenue, but has the issue ever been revisited for updating to what’s needed in 2007 La Vergne? Sure doesn’t seem like it.
“Even though your Wal-Mart theory makes sense, it still does not answer the question “Where does it go?”
I would say the most open area is on Waldron, just west of the rail road tracks. That’s an open plot of land.
“And this raises another question: Are the trucking-related businesses in LV REALLY paying their fair share of taxes to the city?”
I’m not a trucker, but anyone who moved here in the last 10 years has to realize they were here first. I don’t know how you can make them pay “their fair share.” How much TDOT money is La Vergne getting to repave Waldron? That’s their share.
BTW, I’ve said before the nicest parts of La Vergne are the industrial parks. They have manicured lawns, clean buildings on the outside, and the roads are generally smooth. I wouldn’t blame the truckers.
Michael,
I was in the US trucking & transportation business for 22 years. That industry put bread on my table and helped me raise 2 children, so I am not about to point the blame on the trucking industry. If that’s the impression I left then I sincerely apologize to any and all trucking/transportation employees and their families. Yes, the trucking firms in La Vergne keep their places of business looking very nice (something which cannot be said about some of the M-boro Rd businesses). If indeed TDOT covers the cost of road repairs caused by 80,000 pound vehicle traffic, that’s cool with me.
My point was not to say the trucking industry is not paying their fair share, but is the La Vergne business tax structure being reviewed on a regular (annual) basis so as not to become antiquated? Is the city getting what it should from ALL businesses? Is the city giving “tax breaks” to businesses that maybe should no longer be receiving those breaks? Should “tax breaks” be offered to the types of business that La Vergne would like to attract (national/regional retail & eating establishments)?
I’m Just Sayin’…..
[...] don’t read comments on old posts, you may have missed a prediction I made on the story about surveillence camera’s and road work. I think the retailer that La Vergne is trying to get on Waldron Road is Wal-Mart, and I think [...]