An Open letter to David Malin, Vestar

The following letter to David Malin from an OV neighbor needs no introduction, other than for me to ask that every LOVE reader take a few minutes to read it. We can only hope that Malin and Vestar heed the words of Rosemarie Sauer----for our, and their benefit.

Art
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Echoes of Buckeye in Oro Valley Marketplace

Mr. Malin-

Are you aware that there is so much unrest concerning your development in the Oro Valley Marketplace? First, let me tell you that I am PRO-development as I come from a lineage of successful California developers . That being said, my father's philosophy seems to have been vastly different from your current philosophy. The philosophy I have been raised with and support is one in which development enriches, compliments and betters the community wherein it lies. My hesitation is with your misunderstanding of what I know the climate here to be and what I feel is forecasted in some trends I've been noticing as a resident. The vast majority of my neighbors on my newly built street here in AZ are Southern Californians - mainly Orange and San Diego Counties. Many of us live here and fly out to maintain business there. We moved here to enjoy the unspoiled beauty and upscale cleanliness of our development up North.

I know that Wal-mart is smart for you guys, but I challenge you that you are taking a bird in the hand, and that if you spoke to residents you would find a great desire to shop and dine in UNIQUE places - not necessarily 5 star or "upscale" - but unique. I know that the Nordstrom/upscale concepts are thrown around freely here, but truly if you LISTEN, what we want is what drew us and potentially many other highly financially capable shoppers to the area: Unique and inherent desert beauty. No where in the country is there a more amazing view so close and unspoiled as the Catalinas. When developers get this, they will be amply rewarded as was your competitor, the La Encantada developers, Westcor.

So, you likely want to refer me to this article by Amy Wolf Sorter in the Wednesday March 21 edition of GlobeSt.com which lauds the development as 'Green.' Funny though - no where in that is Wal-Mart mentioned! So then I refer you to the article in the West Valley View by Robin Clayton - Buckeye Says No to Vestar. OH! But I don't HAVE to refer you to anything of the sort because you were involved in that project as well!! Mr. Malin - do you want the same egg on your face here, in Tucson, as you got in Buckeye?? Need I remind you what you said yourself during that debacle: ""Our credibility is now in question." At what point sir, do you separate 'our', meaning Vestar's, credibility from your own? At what point do you consider what a tenant like Wal-Mart does to the property value's of residents like us - and our children? When do you lie awake at night thinking of the crime that you have brought into our neighborhoods by selling out to Wal-mart, as I am certain you are aware that crime rates are higher in areas near a Wal-Mart than in areas near any other retailer. A national study of 551 Wal*Marts found the average rate of reported police incidents for each Wal-Mart store was up to 10 times higher than the average rate for the nearest Target store-and six times higher for serious and violent crime!! But you know that don't you? So when sir, do YOU question your own credibility with how you conduct business and how you change the face of our hometowns, our children's lives, our planet?? Thinking back then to the article to which I originally referred in GlobeSt.com, I wonder how much of those promises to 'go green,' will be reneged by another of your tricky little amendments? People trust what they read, therefore are probably very pleased with what they garnered from Ms. Wolf Sorter's article. However, since what you do behind backs and closed doors hardly makes news (why, money talks and you have enough of that to control who has what to say, isn't that right), I am sure that when those 7.5 acres of heavily landscaped land in this new development in our Town of Excellence is glaringly absent, it will be too late to make the noise that many of my neighbors and I are making now! What will you have to say about your credibility then, sir?

While, like I said, I come from a family in development, I don't pretend to be an expert on commercial development - but I do know Oro Valley. Oro Valley is truly as unique as its residents. I want what is best for my community and I think if you truly want to be profitable and maintain some semblance of PR, you will rethink this WAL-MART idea. Isn't it enough that there is one a few miles south at Oracle and Magee? I say this as a friend to the industry and to Vestar while also remaining true to my residence here: I am sure that you are aware of the development that is proposed in Pinal County, if you want a fighting chance to compete without red tape like you haven't seen before, you will be wise to prove yourself in Oro Valley. Its a whole different ball game down here. Tucson is not Phoenix, Scottsdale and not southern California; perhaps, like Buckeye, our biggest concerns here are in regards to the precedents that are set in these new ventures. And like Buckeye, we do not appreciate your underestimating our ability to defend ourselves and our surroundings. For your own good and for the success of your ventures, I suggest you start studying the natives.

Respectfully,

Rosemarie Sauer