[janmcn]

Originally Posted by Indy-Guy

I purchased near Cane Garden CC in 2005 and moved here full time in 2007. In 2007 Sweetbay or Publix at Colony were not there. Our closest grocery store was Publix at Southern Trace. So for your comment that that they always open the stores before the houses are built I would not agree with. Perhaps they were there when your house was built.

Some people come early to a neighborhood and some people come later, so there are going to be exceptions, but ask the majority of people that built homes in Marion County if the Mulberry Grove Publix was open when they moved in.

Ask the majority of people that bought homes in Summerhill, Belvedere, Ashland, Bonnybrook, Lynnhaven, Winifred, and Bridgeport if the Southern Trace Publix was open when they moved in.

Ask the majority of people that bought homes in Hadley, Hemingway, Amelia, St Charles, St James, Sanibel, Bonita, Ferdandina if the Colony Publix was open when they moved in.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Some people come early to a neighborhood and some people come later, so there are going to be exceptions, but ask the majority of people that built homes in Marion County if the Mulberry Grove Publix was open when they moved in.

Ask the majority of people that bought homes in Summerhill, Belvedere, Ashland, Bonnybrook, Lynnhaven, Winifred, and Bridgeport if the Southern Trace Publix was open when they moved in.

Ask the majority of people that bought homes in Hadley, Hemingway, Amelia, St Charles, St James, Sanibel, Bonita, Ferdandina if the Colony Publix was open when they moved in.

Sounds like we'd have a good bet. You seem intent that they will not build another Publix or Sweetbay or other grocery until the IRS issue is settled. I'll give you 5 to 1 that there is at least 1 announced within the year and 2 to 1 that more than one grocery stores are announced within 2 years in the 466a - 44 area even without a settlement.

In case anyone missed it - TVRH is going to add 95 beds to the existing hospital instead of starting the permit in the Brownwood area. Nothing to do with the IRS but more of a cost benefit analysis in utilizing existing infrastructure etc. We are still holding the state permit (65 beds) for the Brownwood site but no action is planned for the foreseeable future (3-4 years is my guess)

[Villages Kahuna]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I am sure that owners of property around here have lotsa land they want to sell to the developers but the asking prices are so high that it would not be feasible to buy it and keep the homes in the existing price range.

So those owners will probably continue to keep their land. The developers don't seem to be stupid.

AND do NOT believe all you read on this forum. It contains so many rumors and so much misinformation that it makes my head spin and is ONE of the reasons I post so much.

You hit it on the button, Gracie. The developer knows exactly how much he can afford to pay for land and based on the density of units he has planned for an area, and whether or not he can hit the price point that will be attractive to prospective buyers. If he pays too much, he can't produce units that will be priced attractively. So the answer is easy, and very apparent if you look around The Villages. There are lots of parcels that one looks at and says, "...why didn't The Villages buy that land?" Heck, my house backs up on 13 acres that is exactly in that category.

The developer does the obvious, makes one last and final offer and if not accepted, he just moves on or around the property in question. That leaves the greedy property owners with land that isn't even worth what TV might have offered. Take a look at the corner farm property on the northwest corner facing Brownwood. I predict that parcel will remain as a farmhouse for a long, long time. Now that Brownwood is built and all the access roads placed and in use, that parcel is well off the beaten path for a commercial site for just about anything.

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

You hit it on the button, Gracie. The developer knows exactly how much he can afford to pay for land and based on the density of units he has planned for an area, and whether or not he can hit the price point that will be attractive to prospective buyers. If he pays too much, he can't produce units that will be priced attractively. So the answer is easy, and very apparent if you look around The Villages. There are lots of parcels that one looks at and says, "...why didn't The Villages buy that land?" Heck, my house backs up on 13 acres that is exactly in that category.

The developer does the obvious, makes one last and final offer and if not accepted, he just moves on or around the property in question. That leaves the greedy property owners with land that isn't even worth what TV might have offered. Take a look at the corner farm property on the northwest corner facing Brownwood. I predict that parcel will remain as a farmhouse for a long, long time. Now that Brownwood is built and all the access roads placed and in use, that parcel is well off the beaten path for a commercial site for just about anything.

There are many reasons a property owner may not want to sell and greed may not be one of them.

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Ask the majority of people that bought homes in Hadley, Hemingway, Amelia, St Charles, St James, Sanibel, Bonita, Ferdandina if the Colony Publix was open when they moved in.

We bought in Hadley in July of 2008 and the Colony Publix was already open. The other villages you mention were developed after Hadley.

[pauld315]

I once asked one of the longtime sales associate about the possibility of TV buying more land and thus going beyond the 110,000 build out projection. He said he had not heard of anything like that. He also said if they were going to continue building they would have to have the land years (believe he said something like 5 years) in advance due to all the permitting, environmental impact studies and planning required before they could even begin and turn the first shovelful of earth.. He felt it was beyond the time where they could buy additional land and continue without a long break in building activity. I was told this 2 years ago. Makes sense to me.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by janmcn

I have a hunch that the big companies, including Publix, want nothing to do with The Villages Inc until the IRS suit is settled. I base my hunch on the fact that Publix has not opened a new store since Easter 2007, nine months before the investigation was announced.

From 2001 to 2007, four grocery stores opened: Alberston's in Spanish Plaines in 2001 or 2002 (which is now a Publix), Publix in Mulberry Grove in 2003, Publix in Southern Trace in 2004, and Publix at Colony in 2007.

When The Villages and the IRS are mentioned in the same sentence, big companies are probably saying we'll sit this one out and see what happens IMO.

Been a lot of businesses added around here in the five years that the IRS inquiry began into the legality of not taxing bonds on the CDDs, It is not a law suit.

Some that immediatly come to mind are Sams Club, Kohls, Michaels and Joanns. Just trying to keep things straight.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Been a lot of businesses added around here in the five years that the IRS inquiry began into the legality of not taxing bonds on the CDDs, It is not a law suit.

Some that immediatly come to mind are Sams Club, Kohls, Michaels and Joanns. Just trying to keep things straight.

The large corporations that you mention, along with Publix, probably have legal departments that looked into the inquiry and don't have to rely on my hunch before making a business decision.

[TrudyM]

Macy's took a trial at a smaller store concept in Helena Montana when I worked for them (We were under the Bon Marche label then but still part of Federated dept stores that changed it's name to Macys)
There was a discussion of having smaller regionally merchandise targeted stores added to the regular lineup. However that requires more hands on individualized purchasing and Macys has closed all it's regional buying operations and centralized everything to New York in 2009. They have some regional merchandise planners but for instance they replaced 750 buyers planners for our 56 stores with 60 people It is my understanding that since doing this the company is looking at closing smaller market stores not opening more. It has been closing stores every year. It closed 9 in 2012 and plans to close 6 in the spring 2013. Although I haven't kept on top of things since my forced retirement I don't think it looks good.
Brick and Morter stores are having trouble making their margins when they have to price compete with the internet. Retail has been hard hit in recent years ( started in 2007 going down hill) and only had a slight recovery in the last six months but still not enough in my opinion to give big box retail the shot it needs to get out of the hole.

Trudy (formerly planning/Buying office Macys Northwest)

[GaryW]

One going in on 466a by Sumter Service Center on Burnsed Blvd.

[mulligan]

One what ?

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by mulligan

One what ?

Perhaps they are referring to the new assisted living facility slated to be built in that area?

[BogeyBoy]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Perhaps they are referring to the new assisted living facility slated to be built in that area?

Or the sign that used to be there about the new Sweetbay.