Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 2102858)

Do you visit this square often? Any square?

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna (Post 2102765)

The Developer doesn’t need nightly entertainment in Spanish Springs to attract home buyers anymore. All the development is many miles south. Little marketing benefit would be lost in discontinuing nightly entertainment or events like the monthly drive-in. Those enjoying those events are probably already Villages homeowners, or residents of surrounding communities.

By discontinuing nightly entertainment at Spanish Springs the entire town square could be re-purposed to a large, attractive parking lot. It could be gated with assigned spaces for use by renters in the planned apartments as well as the rumored apartments in the two stories of existing health club space in the La Riena Building. Parking for new apartment renters? Solved! Complaints from renters about too much noise? Solved!

If the movie theatres are re-purposed into a re-located health club as rumored, the main entrance could be in the rear, with parking spaces immediately behind the theater space made private, gated, for use by health club members only.

Complaints would be temporary, coming only from those not likely to be new home buyers. All the businesses in the area, including the Developer-owned Sharon, would likely view the idea favorably. Of course, the Developer owns all the commercial space in the area, so commercial renters would view the idea of less parking pressure very favorably.

New apartments on two floors of the La Riena building is based on a rumor, but it makes sense based on health club employees already having been told of the relocation plan to the theatre space when the health club lease in the La Riena building expires.

Negatives to the idea?

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2102886)

I'll answer the question applied to myself: Yup, I visit Spanish Springs town square regularly. At least once a week, and I drive through it more often than that to get from my house (in the historic section) to other parts of the Villages.

At 50 new units, you'd need 75 parking spaces reserved for residents of those units. Behind the MPV building there are enough for units in that building, without needing any reserved on the street. The Katie Belle's building would need spaces off to the side in the back, closer to Amerikano's, in order to accommodate off-street parking for non-resident patrons of the square and employees.

It's absolutely do-able, but yes it would also absolutely change the complexion of the Square. Currently, residential units surround the Square in the townhouses, and there's a hotel at (not in) the Square with sectioned-off parking spaces in the back. As long as the parking spaces are reserved, and the reservations can actually be enforced (via gate pass or numeric passcode for example), and the spaces are not on the street-side, it should be fine.

My objection to the Katie Belles' thing was its isolation, parking logistics, and the Morse family's ridiculous comparison to Brownwood Lofts, which have amenities on-site and were built on the perimeter of the square, and not just repurposed buildings at the square itself.

But if you repurpose upper floors of a couple of buildings surrounding the square, with resident parking behind and some on-site amenities, then the residents of the square will feel more like a community to each other - and us "regular visitors" will have a more "village-like" atmosphere to visit.

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com (Post 2103673)

Excuse me but they did build apartments below 466a and others have built many more apartments and I’m not whining

Originally Posted by dewilson58 (Post 2103683)

That's because you don't feel entitled.

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2103716)

You know they are not about to stop at 7 more likely a 100 or more.

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 2103718)

Based on what evidence? You sound like you know something, so please share.

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2103716)

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2103716)

The question is, is it in our best interest that they build a lot of apartments around spanish springs. You know they are not about to stop at 7 more likely a 100 or more.

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 2103718)

Based on what evidence? You sound like you know something, so please share.

Originally Posted by Two Bills (Post 2103779)

Does anyone honestly believe 'Da Family' will close Spanish Springs Square, and stop nightly entertainment?