A name change would indeed be a PLUS! First of all there is Midtown in Bryan being developed AND CS Midtown choose this name why??? Maybe due to middle of nowhere????? Confusing to the public and so many more appropriate names. Have a naming contest. LOLBrian Alg said:It was named "Midtown" and it is on the edge of town. There is no getting around this problem near-ish term without a rebrand.Bob Yancy said:
A lot of people don't even know where Midtown College Station is.
I propose one of those cutesy acronyms like OPSaW (out past Scott and White).
The city considers it part of the medical district. Why not call it all the Medical District?Captn_Ag05 said:
Name it Uptown. Up from what? Who knows, doesn't matter.
So... Medtown?techno-ag said:The city considers it part of the medical district. Why not call it all the Medical District?Captn_Ag05 said:
Name it Uptown. Up from what? Who knows, doesn't matter.
Flatlander said:So... Medtown?techno-ag said:The city considers it part of the medical district. Why not call it all the Medical District?Captn_Ag05 said:
Name it Uptown. Up from what? Who knows, doesn't matter.
AggiePhil said:
Because there's really not all that much medical, save for SJCSH and BSW.
BCS-Ag said:
Jeez, if only there were a big box anchor in the development that would have paid for the rock prairie overpass and spured this whole concept on...oh wait.
Seriously though, a little look further back in history will inform the LONGSTANDING boondoggle this part of town has been.
For those that have a subscription: http://theeagle.com/news/local/weingarten-cs-close-to-a-deal/article_64e02ef4-a8e0-5462-b7be-d894eea4e97d.html
For those that don't here is the AI summary.
Weingarten vs. College Station Walmart Development Dispute: History & Outcome
Background
In the early 2000s, Weingarten Realty Investors purchased land at Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. The property was designated in the City of College Station's Comprehensive Plan for big box retail, aligning with Weingarten's intent to build a Walmart Supercenter. The company offered to pay for a traffic impact study and fund key infrastructure, including the Rock Prairie Road overpass.
Zoning Conflict
Despite the zoning compatibility, City Council denied Weingarten's rezoning request in 2006 due to public opposition to Walmart. A subsequent approval added restrictive conditions that Weingarten claimed made the development financially unworkable.
Lawsuit & Legal Actions
Weingarten filed a federal lawsuit in 2008, alleging the City acted arbitrarily and damaged the property's value. A U.S. District Court allowed the case to move forward, but in 2010 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed it, ruling that City Council members had legislative immunity in zoning decisions.
Settlement & Land Transfer
In 2011, the City settled with Weingarten for $1.6 million, down from the original $10 million claim. Both parties had spent roughly $2 million in legal fees.
Weingarten subsequently sold approximately 98 acres to Scott & White Healthcare, a tax-exempt entity, which built a hospital and clinic. The City was involved in brokering this sale, which removed the land from the commercial tax rolls. Unlike the original proposal, Scott & White was not required to fund the traffic improvementsmeaning the cost of infrastructure upgrades was ultimately passed along to the general taxpayer, rather than borne by a developer.
Outcome & Legacy
- The City avoided a large damages award but incurred significant legal costs.
- The loss of taxable retail land and public burden of infrastructure costs drew long-term criticism.
- Planned retail and transportation enhancements were abandoned, despite initial private funding offers.
- The case is often cited as a cautionary tale in planning, politics, and unintended consequences.
This was just another case where East side residents had huge sway with city council because they didn't want "those people" any where near their neighborhood. they also stopped a big box development where BMW and Mercedes Benz are nowBCS-Ag said:
Jeez, if only there were a big box anchor in the development that would have paid for the rock prairie overpass and spured this whole concept on...oh wait.
Seriously though, a little look further back in history will inform the LONGSTANDING boondoggle this part of town has been.
For those that have a subscription: http://theeagle.com/news/local/weingarten-cs-close-to-a-deal/article_64e02ef4-a8e0-5462-b7be-d894eea4e97d.html
For those that don't here is the AI summary.
Weingarten vs. College Station Walmart Development Dispute: History & Outcome
Background
In the early 2000s, Weingarten Realty Investors purchased land at Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. The property was designated in the City of College Station's Comprehensive Plan for big box retail, aligning with Weingarten's intent to build a Walmart Supercenter. The company offered to pay for a traffic impact study and fund key infrastructure, including the Rock Prairie Road overpass.
Zoning Conflict
Despite the zoning compatibility, City Council denied Weingarten's rezoning request in 2006 due to public opposition to Walmart. A subsequent approval added restrictive conditions that Weingarten claimed made the development financially unworkable.
Lawsuit & Legal Actions
Weingarten filed a federal lawsuit in 2008, alleging the City acted arbitrarily and damaged the property's value. A U.S. District Court allowed the case to move forward, but in 2010 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed it, ruling that City Council members had legislative immunity in zoning decisions.
Settlement & Land Transfer
In 2011, the City settled with Weingarten for $1.6 million, down from the original $10 million claim. Both parties had spent roughly $2 million in legal fees.
Weingarten subsequently sold approximately 98 acres to Scott & White Healthcare, a tax-exempt entity, which built a hospital and clinic. The City was involved in brokering this sale, which removed the land from the commercial tax rolls. Unlike the original proposal, Scott & White was not required to fund the traffic improvementsmeaning the cost of infrastructure upgrades was ultimately passed along to the general taxpayer, rather than borne by a developer.
Outcome & Legacy
- The City avoided a large damages award but incurred significant legal costs.
- The loss of taxable retail land and public burden of infrastructure costs drew long-term criticism.
- Planned retail and transportation enhancements were abandoned, despite initial private funding offers.
- The case is often cited as a cautionary tale in planning, politics, and unintended consequences.
Thanks for sharing. I was able to watch most of it. It seems like the former Mayor caused quite a bit of the distrust for the citizens in Midtown.AggiePhil said:
I spent a few hours last night watching the May 8 council meeting. Very interesting and informative. I suggest that anyone with the time watch it.
https://www.cstx.gov/departments___city_hall/pubcomm/channel_19
Bob Yancy said:BCS-Ag said:
Jeez, if only there were a big box anchor in the development that would have paid for the rock prairie overpass and spured this whole concept on...oh wait.
Seriously though, a little look further back in history will inform the LONGSTANDING boondoggle this part of town has been.
For those that have a subscription: http://theeagle.com/news/local/weingarten-cs-close-to-a-deal/article_64e02ef4-a8e0-5462-b7be-d894eea4e97d.html
For those that don't here is the AI summary.
Weingarten vs. College Station Walmart Development Dispute: History & Outcome
Background
In the early 2000s, Weingarten Realty Investors purchased land at Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. The property was designated in the City of College Station's Comprehensive Plan for big box retail, aligning with Weingarten's intent to build a Walmart Supercenter. The company offered to pay for a traffic impact study and fund key infrastructure, including the Rock Prairie Road overpass.
Zoning Conflict
Despite the zoning compatibility, City Council denied Weingarten's rezoning request in 2006 due to public opposition to Walmart. A subsequent approval added restrictive conditions that Weingarten claimed made the development financially unworkable.
Lawsuit & Legal Actions
Weingarten filed a federal lawsuit in 2008, alleging the City acted arbitrarily and damaged the property's value. A U.S. District Court allowed the case to move forward, but in 2010 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed it, ruling that City Council members had legislative immunity in zoning decisions.
Settlement & Land Transfer
In 2011, the City settled with Weingarten for $1.6 million, down from the original $10 million claim. Both parties had spent roughly $2 million in legal fees.
Weingarten subsequently sold approximately 98 acres to Scott & White Healthcare, a tax-exempt entity, which built a hospital and clinic. The City was involved in brokering this sale, which removed the land from the commercial tax rolls. Unlike the original proposal, Scott & White was not required to fund the traffic improvementsmeaning the cost of infrastructure upgrades was ultimately passed along to the general taxpayer, rather than borne by a developer.
Outcome & Legacy
- The City avoided a large damages award but incurred significant legal costs.
- The loss of taxable retail land and public burden of infrastructure costs drew long-term criticism.
- Planned retail and transportation enhancements were abandoned, despite initial private funding offers.
- The case is often cited as a cautionary tale in planning, politics, and unintended consequences.
I remember it well. There was also the incident with the bulldozing of all trees, which riled folks up, as I recall. I would later be approached by Scott & White to be the first chairman of the hospital's governance board- an honor and a duty I will forever hold in my memory.
People were saying "this town doesn't need another hospital." Now it's one of the busiest and high performing in the state. So, in the end, I think that land is the highest and best use from a community benefit perspective.
The Midtown District has good bones, immediate access to medical care and a Costco on the other end. The 28 acres just north of Costco is about to develop into mixed use, restaurant and retail, etc.
Midtown truly has the potential to be a great district, despite the bumpy start. We need forward thinking and leaning leadership to get there. My $.02
Respectfully
Yancy '95
I bet there are some fat cats managing that district. Let's see the salaries. All of them. Those tax districts are easy to set up and almost impossible to get rid of.UhOhNoAgTag said:doubledog said:Sorry, I have never heard this before. Is it a tax or a fee? For example an HOA fee is not a tax. Perhaps you can provide us a link to a news article or government document that confirms the "additional" tax.happyinBCS said:
Those folks pay an additional property tax to the city and have been since day one. They need to get their money back because it is obvious the city screwed this up as they always do when they touch anything that has to do with development
They pay an additional Rock Prairie Management District 2 tax of 65 cents. This had been 50 cents until last year. This tax does not take into consideration homestead exemption, so it is on the full appraised amount. This accounts for 35% of total taxes.
I assume the tax district is subject to FOIA?Quote:
I bet there are some fat cats managing that district. Let's see the salaries. All of them. Those tax districts are easy to set up and almost impossible to get rid of.
It's naming was definitely chosen like the way Greenland was named. A lie to try to make it more attractivetechno-ag said:AggiePhil said:
Because there's really not all that much medical, save for SJCSH and BSW.
That's ok it's not really in the middle of town either.
91_Aggie said:This was just another case where East side residents had huge sway with city council because they didn't want "those people" any where near their neighborhood. they also stopped a big box development where BMW and Mercedes Benz are nowBCS-Ag said:
Jeez, if only there were a big box anchor in the development that would have paid for the rock prairie overpass and spured this whole concept on...oh wait.
Seriously though, a little look further back in history will inform the LONGSTANDING boondoggle this part of town has been.
For those that have a subscription: http://theeagle.com/news/local/weingarten-cs-close-to-a-deal/article_64e02ef4-a8e0-5462-b7be-d894eea4e97d.html
For those that don't here is the AI summary.
Weingarten vs. College Station Walmart Development Dispute: History & Outcome
Background
In the early 2000s, Weingarten Realty Investors purchased land at Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. The property was designated in the City of College Station's Comprehensive Plan for big box retail, aligning with Weingarten's intent to build a Walmart Supercenter. The company offered to pay for a traffic impact study and fund key infrastructure, including the Rock Prairie Road overpass.
Zoning Conflict
Despite the zoning compatibility, City Council denied Weingarten's rezoning request in 2006 due to public opposition to Walmart. A subsequent approval added restrictive conditions that Weingarten claimed made the development financially unworkable.
Lawsuit & Legal Actions
Weingarten filed a federal lawsuit in 2008, alleging the City acted arbitrarily and damaged the property's value. A U.S. District Court allowed the case to move forward, but in 2010 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed it, ruling that City Council members had legislative immunity in zoning decisions.
Settlement & Land Transfer
In 2011, the City settled with Weingarten for $1.6 million, down from the original $10 million claim. Both parties had spent roughly $2 million in legal fees.
Weingarten subsequently sold approximately 98 acres to Scott & White Healthcare, a tax-exempt entity, which built a hospital and clinic. The City was involved in brokering this sale, which removed the land from the commercial tax rolls. Unlike the original proposal, Scott & White was not required to fund the traffic improvementsmeaning the cost of infrastructure upgrades was ultimately passed along to the general taxpayer, rather than borne by a developer.
Outcome & Legacy
- The City avoided a large damages award but incurred significant legal costs.
- The loss of taxable retail land and public burden of infrastructure costs drew long-term criticism.
- Planned retail and transportation enhancements were abandoned, despite initial private funding offers.
- The case is often cited as a cautionary tale in planning, politics, and unintended consequences.
91_Aggie said:It's naming was definitely chosen like the way Greenland was named. A lie to try to make it more attractivetechno-ag said:AggiePhil said:
Because there's really not all that much medical, save for SJCSH and BSW.
That's ok it's not really in the middle of town either.
dubi said:I assume the tax district is subject to FOIA?Quote:
I bet there are some fat cats managing that district. Let's see the salaries. All of them. Those tax districts are easy to set up and almost impossible to get rid of.
Here is the board. There is also a tax assessor, attorney, engineer and I'm not sure what else. The board has little pieces of property in Midtown that the district pays the taxes on.
Uri Geva, President
Hays Glover, Vice President
Logan Lee, Assistant VIce President
Mark Lindemulder, Secretary
Samuel "Kit" Kerbel, Assistant Secretary
Hornbeck said:
So, the guy that owns the Bombers and a former Aggie Basketball player….
UhOhNoAgTag said:Hornbeck said:
So, the guy that owns the Bombers and a former Aggie Basketball player….
Yes, and the owner of Sveciks, Mark Lindemulder.
MsDoubleD81 said:
I asked this question on the Bombers thread, so not to derail there. What is the status of the TIP @ Midtown? There is only the restroom out there. It's been almost a year. Nothing else.
And as another poster says, the property at Hwy 6 and Corporate is just going to "neglect" Midtown even more.
Hornbeck said:UhOhNoAgTag said:Hornbeck said:
So, the guy that owns the Bombers and a former Aggie Basketball player….
Yes, and the owner of Sveciks, Mark Lindemulder.
More evidence that around here, it's not "what you know", it's "who you know"…
This is my shocked face.
