Hypothetical Co-Tenants for the Heights Walmart

I don’t want to say it is a done deal, but frankly, after sitting through last week’s meeting, I think the it’s-not-the-Heights-but-we’re-calling-it-Washington-Heights Walmart is going to happen.

So, what would mitigate the impact besides nice landscaping and infrastructure improvements to the roads, bridges, sidewalks, and esplanade? Because even very good design (and Ainbinder has decidedly not reached the level of good design, let alone very good design) doesn’t make up for the whole 24-hour super-melago-mart situation.

Well, news just broke that the Angelika Film Center lost its lease at Bayou Place. Maybe Ainbider could design a retro-Deco space and invite Angelika to be the tenant?

And, by the way, I was paying attention to the Walmart flack’s claims that they buy tons of local produce. What if the development featured a covered area (like the one in Marfa where the Food Shark parks) that could be used by a few funky food trucks during the week, and a farmer’s market on weekends for the smaller producers who can’t sell to Walmart because they don’t grow enough?

Walmart could have a produce stall of their very own.

I’d recommend Guns & Tacos as the curator for the weekday trucks.

I read an article about the stores that tend to co-locate with Walmart. Sally Beauty Supply, Subway, Payless Shoes. I’m sure Ainbinder already has a pretty good idea exactly who is other tenants will be, and they seem far more likely to be Sally Beauty than Angelika.

Still…if we don’t ask, we for sure won’t get. So, as of now, my requests are:

1. Walmart reimburse/donate to the city the exact amount of the 380 agreement Ainbinder and the city agree upon whenever that happens.
2. Ainbinder think w-a-y outside the big box on tenants and use of the space by including areas for actual communal, local businesses to come together.

Anything else?