Posted on 07/10/2009 9:11:41 AM PDT by Lorianne
As the recession takes its toll on big-box retailers, more communities across the country are having to confront not just the eyesore of giant empty stores, but also the loss of jobs and tax revenue that follow.
Many are trying to find creative uses for those near windowless monoliths. In Minnesota, one became a Spam Museum. In Texas, an indoor go-cart track. In Illinois, a church moved into an empty Wal-Mart. The new tenants, however, often generate less revenue for local governments.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said 6,913 retail stores — of all types — announced closures last year, compared with 4,603 in 2007.
A former Wal-Mart in Carlinville, Ill., was converted to a church, but not before a legal battle from the city.
Mayor Robert Schwab said retail space is at a premium in the city of about 6,000, so when Wal-Mart announced it was building a new Supercenter in town, community leaders were hopeful the old facility could be turned into new retail space.
Instead, Wal-Mart sold the 50,000-square-foot building to the Carlinville Southern Baptist Church in 2007.
“Nothing against churches, but the city loses, the county loses and the school district loses sales tax and property tax as a source of revenue,” the mayor said.
“It was probably the largest building available in probably the whole county,” Schwab said. “There was a lot of interest in it but Wal-Mart found a willing buyer that gave them no competition at all.”
The city and the church settled a federal lawsuit last year over the church’s right to operate in a commercially zoned property, Schwab said. The church was given and a special-use permit, and the city’s insurer paid $125,000 in compensation to the church and $50,000 to the city in a settlement, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
The fault of 0buma.
Huh? I never heard of a Wal-Mart closing except to move to a new and bigger location. But there are many other store closings.
He’s the mayor, important and should get to say who buys and sells in his town.
Should have read further, but I just knew that Wal-Mart closure was probably to move to a new and bigger location. WM is not one of the chains that is closing stores to leave an area, for certain.
I’m thinking indoor shooting range. That might cause some hearts to palpitate in Taxachusetts, though.
It appears neither MSNBC nor the AssPress is capable of editing text anymore.
Big churches attract people to buy homes close by and to lunch at local bistros.
The city wins. They just don’t know it yet.
Hasn’t WalMart closed some stores in localities that enacted “bill of attainder” laws targeted to screw WalMart alone — work rules, union accomodation, zoninbg, supra-minimum wage, environmental obligations, “fair trade” requirements, etc.? I seem to remember them canceling a store in or near Chicago that would have employed thousands.
“Nothing against churches, but the city loses, the county loses and the school district loses sales tax and property tax as a source of revenue,” the mayor said.
O BLANKING cry me a river “mayor”!
They look happy because they’ve just had their singing lesson.
In a town of 6000 population? 50 miles off the beaten path? Its just another struggling farm town; it isnt going to attract lots of people to live there. If the new super center is located within the city limits, then it will compensate for the tax revenue. Knowing Wallyworld, they would try to locate outside the corporate limits.
Interesting that a church would have the capital to purchase such a large building.
You mean sewing lesson ;)
Yep - this is suspect. It's more a liberal hit piece on Walmart.
Have you ever seen a headline that said, "Prius kills Mother and child" ? Never, right? But you do see, "SUV kills 3 In Accident". That kind of writing is disguised hatred of all that is conservative ...
Same with most of the "walmart" stuff...
Just like there were “Hoovervilles” in the great depression, perhaps we should start referring to the ghost boxes as “O-marts”.
Forget it. You can’t get a carry permit in most towns in Mass. and they do not honor those of surrounding states (like mine).
The mayor begins with 'nothing against churches', then proceeds with a laundry list of issues against churches. Liar.
Sewing lessons don’t make zombies happy. They live to sing. Singing makes them happy.
And the Singer store is where they’ve chosen to take singing lessons. Zombie happiness
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