Please help hold city officials accountable and stop disinvestment of services in Brooklyn Centre:
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-aldi-move-to-steelyard-and-stop-pus... [1]
There is gross misuse of federal funds. City of Cleveland provides incentives to corporate interests and developers but does not help communities retain services and allows use of federal monies to destroy historical fabric of a neighborhood.
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From Councilman Cummins-before Thanksgiving:
I spoke with Kevin McClure, Director of Real Estate who is with the Corporate Regional office for ALDI's in Hinkley Ohio. Kevin confirmed that Aldi's is in fact under contract to open a store in Steelyard Commons, likely by the end of next year. The future operations of the store at 3787 Pearl Road in Brooklyn Centre has not been determined as relative to the development in Steelyard Commons.
The Regional VP, Cory Stucker and his Assistant, Terry Ann are both out of the office for the Thanksgiving holiday. I'll plan on speaking with them next Monday and can work to hand this off and/or schedule a meeting with them, Councilman Cimperman, and or who ever would like to be involved in further discussions. I've discussed with Kevin the fact that we could help with sales and purchasing power info in validating the rational for maintaing the store location on Pearl.
Additionally I have a call into Steve Pickett at First Interstate with a request to get the names of the new stores they currently have under contract so we have a more complete view of the future retailers that will be located in Steelyard Commons.
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In my opinion--City of Cleveland OWES residents better communication with companies who operate businesses in the City of Cleveland. What incentives can be made to retain ALDIs within a walkable neighborhood, also accessible to public transporation?
Steelyard should also not poach ALDIs from a neighborhood. I will get addresses for the individuals named above.
Also, I lumped Wirth House in because CDCs (which have been discussed at REALNEO) ad nauseum--have an obligation to serve residents. For both Wirth House and ALDIs, CDCs have dropped the ball.
Links:
[1] http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-aldi-move-to-steelyard-and-stop-push-to-demolish-wirth-house