Target rumors razed; Decatur closes Mound deal with retail giant

Recently, rumors have swirled that the deal may be off, despite reassurances from city officials. Those rumors were put to rest Wednesday when the city closed its deal with Target Corp."They are now the proud owners of that land," Mayor Paul Osborne said. "That should stop any of the rumors."Minneapolis-based Target bought about 12.4 acres of land for its new store from the city for $100, said Dane Bragg, the city's director of economic and urban development. The deal calls for a penalty of $500,000 if Target does not meet certain provisions of the agreement, chiefly closing, said city corporation counsel John Couter.Closing with Target marks the culmination of a busy week on the project. On Monday, ownership of Sunnyside School and Mound Middle School transferred to the city, but the city will lease Mound

back to the school district until June 28. The city paid $10,000 initially, $5,000 this week, and will pay the remainder of the $5 million it owes the school district next year.

City officials anticipate the city will more than make up the difference with increased sales tax revenue. New construction jobs and jobs at Mound Center are another benefit. The deal also will benefit the school district, which has announced a new Wabash Crossing school, city officials say."It's creating a cash flow that would not be there otherwise," Osborne said. "To me, it's a win-win situation."Target is aiming for a March 2005 opening. Sunnyside School should be razed by the end of February, and Target is expected to begin work in March."We're very pleased to have closed the deal, and we're looking forward to being part of the Decatur community," said Aimee Sands, Target spokeswoman.The store will feature a new layout and design with more windows and a bright feel. It will have an expanded snack and grocery section and areas to increase shopping ease, such as a mom and baby section. Target also looks to be a good citizen, supporting worthy causes and nonprofit organizations, she said.The Target store is expected to be flanked by a retail building and two restaurants at Mound Center. Bragg said there are several retailers and restaurants in which the city is interested, but he declined to disclose names.A new retail center on Decatur's north edge is good news to community leaders eager to spur business and economic development."This fits in really well with what we want to see in the future," Osborne said. "It's another step in increasing our tax base and bringing more shoppers to Decatur."Julie Moore, president of the Chamber of Commerce for Decatur and Macon County, said the development could bring more shoppers to the Decatur area and also act as another lure to keep Decatur-area shoppers at home. "It's exciting," she said. "It's going to really jump-start an area that's already growing, Success breeds success."Retail outlets tend to cluster together and feed off each other, said Craig Coil, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County. Such developments, whether they are in Decatur or Forsyth, make the community a regional destination for shopping, he said.Osborne said city officials have worked to balance a sensitivity about neighborhood concerns with a push for economic growth. "Great care has been taken so the stores that go in that area really are high-class businesses and attractive to the area," he said. "I really believe when the whole project is finished, it will blend well with the neighborhood."But some who live in the neighborhood, though supportive of economic development, have lingering concerns this is the wrong spot. Some fear the development - and the traffic it will bring - could destroy the neighborhood life they cherish."A lot of people think we're against progress, but we're not," said Richard Hebenstreit, a former president of Mound/MacArthur Neighborhood Association. "We're like anyone, we want what's best for the city."In Decatur's push to grow the community, it must develop and maintain neighborhoods so new employees will want to live in Decatur."I still get people telling me they think it's a bad idea, but they're more or less resigned to it," he said. "I know there's a lot of hype about how great this is going to be for the economic development of Decatur. I sincerely hope they're correct. The city has made a big sacrifice."Paul McCann, current president of the neighborhood group, said the group generally is disappointed with the way the city has progressed on the project, echoing many of Hebenstreit's concerns. "The bottom line from our standpoint is we just don't think this works," he said."We think Target coming into Decatur is a great idea," Hebenstreit said. "The problem is the location they selected."Mike Frazier can be reached at 421-7985.