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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-01-24 Euless Articles v DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF I ` MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED_ I LL G' DATE OF ARTICLE 1 10 NEWSPAPER FIYST Pitaimed landtrade. exchange without opening thei D p�O�OSed land N r s' trade to bids from others.//FW at 'We just thought we could exchange , `• 3 step in and assist and act as a �1d_��fes8l+td• is se very simple conduit toexchange those two parcels of ' 360 kdowner are atd,"-Euless City Manager Joe ' ' #fr Honnig said. The nonprofit Euless Eco- °.,; ' The Texas attorney nomic Development Corp., Y mz� general's office says created to attract businesses to 1#aTwood#(<1 � k a developer and Dallas/Fort Worth Euless and to promote library Euless ' aril park services, does not Airport cannot exchange property through the Euless Economic clyliY as an exception to the �a Development Corp.Cor law requiring competitive bid- ' • p p Mapped are + 183 ding,according to the opinion, By ELLEN SCHROEDER isS-ued Dec. a 23. 10, STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER ,.Bennett and airport offi- "'Wortha, 20 EULESS —A plan to add more land 4s had discussed making the to a proposed 200-acre development of same trade in the 1990s when ' stores, restaurants, offices and multi- Bennett wanted to build a mall STAR TELECRAM�TIM eEoisoN family housing has hit a snag. ori'his property. The plans for The cities and the landown- Landowner Del Bennett of Califor- tl> mall never worked out, . er are looking at other options, nia wants about 30 acres of Dallas/Fort and the trade did not happen. Hennig said. Worth Airport land at the northwest. Hennig said the cities and "We're disappointed that comer of Texas 183 and Texas 360 for the airport had asked for the we're not going to be able_t_o the proposed develop- attorney general's opinion to do it the way we'd intended to ment on the west side ensure that the Euless Eco- do it, but there are multiple of Texas 360. The land nomic Development Corp. ways,"Hennig said."I feel con- is in Euless but .is could legally be used in the fident that D/FW and Bennett owned by Fort Worth exchange. will fulfill this transaction. It ' and Dallas. -"If D/FW had the money, just won't be through our Eco- The airport wants the Airport would simply pur- nomic Development Corp." 46 acres of Bennett's chase the Bennett Tract Bennett did nqt return property at the north-' through the power of eminent phone calls to comment.east corner of Mid- HENdomain," the airport's legal ONLINE:Texas attorney general's office, Cities Boulevard and Texas 360 as a department said in a written www.oag.state.tx.us buffer for a future runway and a police- response to an interview Ellen Schroeder,(817)685-3815 training facility. request. eschroeder@star-telegram.com Bennett and D/FW wanted to give their land to the Euless Economic Development Corp., which would have given each parcel to the intended party. But.the Euless Economic Develop- ment Corp.cannot be used to swap pri- vately owned land for D/FW Airport ' property, according to an opinion from the Texas attorney general's office. By.trading the land through the Euless"Economic Development Corp., the cities had hoped to have an even i PAGE� OF DISTRIBUTED TO: i MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GWAY , f YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR /ot''}} 1 t L DATE OF ARTICLE t 1`l { ' NEWSPAPER FWST DATE DIS TRIB UTED 't I I Fetching new day care A new north Euless day-care center ' is a real howl with its clients. At House of Paws,owner Kim Elder gives cooped-up dogs an alternative to lazing on the couch or chewing on library books.All that running around g they do at House of Paws gives the dogs I socialization time and helps reduce behavior problems,Elder said. The business is open from 7 am.to 7 p.m.Mondays through Fridays.Rates are$17 to$21 a day.The Website is is wwwhouseofpaws.com. Coming soon:doggie birthday par- ties and obedience training. ' 1 a � � DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE__OF ' MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRAIRYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED C, 3 DATE OF ARTICLE J C--1 0, NEWSPAPER FWST ' Cond0111111'11 111,Sd@S Sa es.9f,comotniniurns and.town homes Wer E generally.h,q: l- m greater Northeast 7 grant C¢unty in 2002,�s were:prtt<�s• ° a>a�^ • e 6 f Arty ;+ Se1es^: f�e etlwn Pr ° (flange irylnt�, 129 ; �14% •� :<$g7;15U �3afo FloweFMountl C >tntt� Tt 7(1gy $91 } .20� ' $edlord 5106,960 1% Euless'' 1 . 38o�L a S82,750 .. ... 6 fiurs570,f10Q' $% Cogeyviile 7 46a $115000 25a/o ' frapet+ite57%. SttI3;900„ NRHsichlart}ills 5ok F;'$73;4(1U' , 6% .Park Glmoorth,Fort worth 1000°f� $119,76fl' 16°lu SUUIt�E:Ntjrff�Teas��1 rstate I�formatidn Sgstem STAR TELEGRAM 1 DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR ' t DATE DISTRIBUTED j ' l: DATE OF ARTICLE NEWSPAPER FWST WHAT'S NEW . S a 53t �• 1a�i, j(i r i STAR-TELEGRAM/KELLEY CHINN Arts studio to open in Bedford Rhythm Nation Studios is building a performing-arts facility at 3512 Texas 121 in Bedford at the southeast corner of Texas 121 and Cheek Sparger Road.The$900,000 center will have a 200-seat theater, four dance rooms,a dance and music boutique,and a juice and coffee bar.At 5,125 square feet,the building will be nearly twice the size - - of the studio's former home on Main Street in Euless.Dance,acting and p. music classes are being held at the Bedford YMCA until construction is s completed this spring. —jessamy Brown � P f I e �, DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE t OF I ' MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY GRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG MCDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED DATEOFARTICLE 1 / 19 11 0 3 NEWSPAPER DMN ELTU:'aS City gets$500,000 grant from state The city of Euless was recently awarded a $500,000 matching funds park grant by the Texas De- partment of Parks and Wildlife. Terry L. Sandlin, developer of Fountain Park,off of Fuller-Wiser ' Road and south of Mid-Cities . Boulevard, has agreed to donate 28 acres next to the new gated Fountain Park subdivision. The ' tentative name for the new park is The Preserve at McCormick Park. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR ' DATE DISTRIB UTED l �' DATE OF ARTICLE NEWSPAPER FWST Bottom line for officials. The change in the bottom In addition, districts must line wont be the result of a comply with GASB 34 w hard-fisted tax hit but of the they wrestle with a separe Revamp bookkeeping most significant change in financial accountability sys reporting on how governments _put in place by the Texas Edu- By YAMIL BERAItD Communities budget their costs.-The new cation Agency. Their work standards unveiled in 1999, are STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER ® and school Texas public school dis- districts are undergoing the GASB reports could de now going into effect, and ' un Ovhether they flunk, s d meeting them is having awide- ta$ technticasistarit tricts and local governments the most significant spread effect. i .the agency's school fm will soon issue reports that change ever in accounting. For years,governments have ficial audits department. could suggest that they are in standards. invested large sums in infra- a If thenumbers don't a d ill financial health. structure, such as buildings, up, Chase said, "Governme In one case,it could appear made that it will make the reads and streets, and in other are going to have to do so as if there's not enough public think we're terribly assets like computers, buses *"explaining, especially to t income to cover expenses. In inefficient, said Gwen Santia- and tractors, and have not giv- payers" another, it might look like go, executive director of.the ei them another thought, fis- All concur that it will b debt is being paid on buses Texas Association of School callyspeaking. challenge to get a true arse that are only worth scrap. Business Officials, a group Now, governments will be ` 4 shall of the values of si But appearances may be of public school budgeting required to report such costs walks, bridges and buildings, deceiving. officers. based on depreciating value. j as required by GASB 34. "I've heard this statement Like private industry, they will .4 Some are depending t have to report the value of each their external auditors to pa itprn on a balance sheet. up any discrepancies. "It's really holding state and i "I think generally we've g� E local governments accountable lit set up," said Judy we, on a similar basis to what pub- A chief accounting officer for lic companies have to do,"said 4 Fort Worth. But, she said, "I'm Sheryl L. Thompson, spokes not sure that we've got it woman for the Governmental 4 there exactly like it should LE Accounting Standards Board, You might talk to one of our which created the new stan- auditors about it." drd,known as GASB 34. ,t School and city audito The goal is more "trans- ��meanwhile,have cautioned t� k - - - --— - pgency_and:disclosure"-about 4 public that some data could be communities' and.school dis misinterpreted. tricts' business operations, "People may come in a 'Thompson said. In other draw conclusions that may nil words,its intent is for the pub- R have basis behind them," said lic to see and better under- °'Steve Kilpatrick, owner stand what's going on. ' Pickens, Snodgrass, Koch i Communities and school Co. in Arlington, which is € districts that do not submit the 11 helping the Arlington school reports could lose state and district comply federal funding. Noncompli- It will be easy to see ance could also hurt their deficit but neglect to read the bond ratings. explanation,Kilpatrick said. Large cities, such as Arling- The data will be indeci ton and Fort Worth, must file pherable to anyone bu # their GASB-compliant audits accountants, others said. "I by March. I think that some laypeopl The Texas Education reading it will find it probabl Agency has told the state's 1,039 0 more confusing than the previ- p'l'tblic school districts that it ous" financial records kept by could yank their accountability 4 governments, said Stev I ratings if they don't submit an 3 Fortenberry, chief financia audit by Jan.28. officer for the Fort Worth }.school district. F i E DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE A OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED 12 1,Ll DATE OF ARTICLE ` �( � I NEWSPAPER FWST ' 4 Work preparing for GASB I ber communities. Now, as the and we came u 34 has been intense. Man p with some dpublic officials have spent up I compliance deadlines near, the beginning numbers,"she said. ' to three years attending semi- group is just trying to help The GASB standard nars and making trial runs. them adjust. requires that governments Fort Worth's accounting "We would have rather identify all assets valued at x staff has rput off vacations to cities weren't mandated to $5,000 or more and report ' prepare, Walton said. There adopt these ... but that's what them based on depreciation.As' happened ... it's something one simple example, a$20 mil- and in other communities,pub- cities are going to have to live lion public facility constructed lic works and engineering with," said Bennett Sandlin, 20 years ago, with a deprecia ' departments have searched legal services director for the tion value of$1 million per records for hints about facili- Texas Municipal League in year, would appear on the ties'ages and have visited them Austin. ledger as a$5 million asset in to assess condition and .In Hurst, the first step in year 15. But problems begin replacement costs. Last year, Pricing infrastructure included when documentation is lacking Arlington created the position determining the number of on what improvements were of fixed-asset accountant just miles of items in 10 categories, made to the building during ' to do that job. including asphalt and concrete. those 15 years. Other communities, includ- "The purpose of GASB is to "They know they spent $20 ing Hurst,relied on consultants point out how well the city is million on a building and it was to determine the historical val- operating,"said Anita Thetford, 20 years ago,but that's not all ' ues of land. director of finance for Hurst. they did. Several years later, For some, including the "It's a really beneficial exercise, they put a new roof on," said Birdville and Carroll school and it's definitely something Richard Sandow, a parent in districts,the fees paid to exter- that takes a lot of work." the Carroll school district who nal auditors doubled. Good records helped, said is on the district's budget and "It's one of those pain-in- Sherry Jacob, controller for finance committee. "Several the-neck things," said David Arlington. "All we had to do years later, they had to replace Brewer,a school-finance expert was to take records that already the air conditioning, and they ' at Education Service Center existed and then apply some tore out all the wiring. They Region 11,which serves Tarrant depreciation methods to them, don't know what they spent and several neighboring coun- ties. "It takes time and money because you have to pay some- body to do that." - Before the standard was adopted, the Texas Municipal League argued that it would burden its hundreds of mem- , 1 t DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED ����I C' DATE OF ARTICLE C' NEWSPAPER FWST and they don't know how much assets doesn't help kids:' was supposed to be expensed By early January, the Texas and how much had to be capi- Education Agency had talized. received 264 GASB audits from "And they're all running Texas'public school districts.It around like chickens without had reviewed 40 of them. their heads trying to assemble The agency has not all this information,"he said. increased its staff.It expects to Brewer acknowledged that prioritize audits of districts that k some districts are in a difficult receive more than $300,000 in position. federal funding,Chase said. "You buy buses and tractors She acknowledged that dis- and you don't worry a whole tricts are going to have a rough lot about it until some auditor time with the new audit stan- n walks in and says,`Where's the dards during the first year. So fixed-asset ledger?"'he said. the agency is also looking at "We may very well be one of giving the audits a traditional those districts that goes upside review,she said. down,"said Jim Schiele,Carroll Now, some are wondering interim assistant superinten- whether the public will actually dent for finance. "But we have benefit from the new openness. not finished the final number "I want our public to under- on this thing." stand as much as they can ' In some instances, district about how our financial officials wish they could go process works," said Lynne back to the old way. Rigg, a deputy superintendent ' x "I'm not saying it shouldn't for the Hurst-Euless-Bedford be done, but districts have school district. "If it does"do higher priorities than taking that,then hallelujah" care of fixed assets," Brewer Yamil Berard,(817)685-3813 said. "Keeping track of fixed yberard@star-telegram.com 2 (J �i { 1 I EpS F dxx' i F f DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE ( OF MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED—1 L,2 t C J DATE OF ARTICLE NEWSPAPER FWST Apartments eager to wile and deal prompt renters to move even if ' they weren't considering it before, apartment locators By ANDREA JARES Apartment said. STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER properties offer Silver Creek by developer ' Demand for apartments in cruises and a third-of-a-year Norstar in North Richland 'Tarrant County in the fourth free rent to lure renters in a Hills is going a step further quarter of 2002 dropped to lev- tough market. than discounting its' apart- els not seen since 1993.And the ments by $100 a month. The falling occupancy has also dri- "It's a renter's market," said property is offering five-day ven down rents as apartment Kim Alexander, owner/broker Caribbean cruises for ever managers scramble for tenants, at Freedom Apartment Locators il apartment lease signed until according to a new report from in Bedford. "Two years ago you Fe apartment analysts M/PF wouldn't have heard of that" b.14. Research. The apartment occupancy in Sam Davis, owner of Apart- The trend has also pushed the Metroplex fell to 90.5 per ment Hunters locator service ' apartments into offering such cent in the last three months of in Bedford, said she has also bold concessions as cruises and 2002, according to Carrollton- seen promotions for $1 move- four months rent-free as prop- based M/PF Research.The pro ins and promotions in October erties compete for the dwin= liferation of free-rent offers has and November touting "five dling numbers of prospects. for free until 2003." Free rent helps people dragged rents down an average were in the Oak Lawn/Park move into an apartment imme- ' 1.4 percent during 2002, to Cities, south Dallas and parts diately or lowers the overall $694 per month. of Fort Worth's west side; rent if it is prorated, according Driving the trend are low according to M/PF. to industry observers. interest rates that have Fort Worth-Dallas is one of Davis recently helped four ' prompted many to move from the hardest hit areas nationally, young women find a four-bed- apartment life to their own with occupancy below the room apartment at Villas on homes. Additionally, because nationwide average, said Greg the Green in North Richland there have been fewer compa- Willett, M/PF's director of Hills. The two-months-free ny relocations to the area, research special reduced their rent for there are fewer new renters.. Occupancy rates may suffer the 12-month lease from $1,415 The Fort Worth side of the further with the expected per month to $1,298 per ' Metroplex had been faring bet- completion of almost 11,000 month. ter than Dallas for most of the units over the next 12 to 18 The Bear Creek area of year. months. Most of those are in Euless is one competitive area But in the fourth quarter, Dallas County. where at least one apartment ' 2,590 more renters moved out "Look for Dallas-Fort Worth complex is offering conces- of Fort Worth-area apartments apartment market to struggle sions as steep as four months than moved in. in early 2003;'Willett said in a free on an 18-month lease.Lay- Dallas, meanwhile, saw a statement. "Demand is nor- net increase in occupied apart- mally sluggish in the first ments, up 1,440 units in the quarter, and the continued fourth quarter. weak condition of the econo- ' The hardest hit areas were my won't add much fuel to northern areas of Dallas Coun- total housing absorption ty and Collin County, as well potential." as west Irving and the Las Col- As a result, apartment loca- ' inas/Valley Ranch areas. tors are getting fatter commis- The few areas where rents sions to find tenants, and climbed in the fourth quarter rental prices are low enough to I ' DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY GRIM HENNIG MCAAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR ' DATEDISTRIBUTED DATE OF ARTICLE / �� NEWSPAPER FWST offs at Dallas/Fort Worth Air- weekdays and full breakfasts port have been especially on the weekends. Holiday par- harmful to that market, ties are catered by Macaroni 1 according to industry officials. Grill,he said. "These properties that real- Even large dogs are easier ly had a, hit are doing four to place these days, say apart- r months free," said Derrick ment locators, as more apart- Davis, an associate at the year- ments say yes to pets. But old Franciscan, which is offer- apartments are still tough on9` in-two months free.The luxu- . people who have broken a 1 ry apartment complex isn't apt lease or committed a crime. to give concessions, but it's Many of the people that are necessary to keep competitive, in the market for apartments he said. now have blemishes on their "You almost set yourself lease records, said Sam Davis { apart if you don't;'Davis said. of Apartment Hunters. The apartment also offers a "That's almost all that are service for its residents that calling,"she said. i. doesn't have a price tag, such Andrea Jares,(817)685 3851 as continental breakfast on ajares@star-telegram.com 3 The apartment market The Seramon Apartment Dallas-Fort Worth Apartment Market Profile,4th quarter 2002 ate"t x complex inn : .' Tt3iA! Euless makes 1 Annual apartment completions 11,306 units Quarter) apartment completions 4,709 units a statement Quarterly Annual apartment demand 1,030 units for motorists _•. along Texas Quarterly apartment demand 1,150 units 121.Because Average occupancy 90.5 percent Change in past year -2.3 points falling occu- Change in past quarter -1.6 points aers a pancy, mean- 1 Average quoted Rent $694 per month g Annual change in same-store rents -1.4 percent offering con- 1 SOURCE:M/PFResearth. .._.____. .. lure residents.� _ _ -- ____ .---:-_ . ;.:.. .. lure residents. STAR-TELEGRAM/MARK ROGERS 1 1 DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE I OF >f MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED /,c)3 DATE OF ARTICLE i �n J D NEWSPAPER FWST a N, ys aN .. a- .. ' , AF 0 spae U . Ex-Kmart stores rmy never return to retail use as site owners face challet) e of filling those large vacancies, other widespread conn} nenees By STEVE McLINDEN Many of the Kmart store sites STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER throughout the region will never be he mess left in the wake of home to traditional stores again, Kmart's pullout from the which could put a hit on the dwin- dling tax rolls of some area cities. Metroplex will take years to "Of course,some ofthe better sort t oug an rly quickly likely cost --. l owners and tenants of shoppingstores will be taken up faiy cen- by retailers,but a lot of those loca- ters millions in lost revenue,say tions will never be retail again,"said retail analysts and brokers. Greg McDonald,executive vice pres- At face value,the 13 Kmart stores ident of the Weitzman Group,a retail ' and approximately 1.3 million square brokerage. feet of space going dark this spring Some of the older,stand-alone represent only a small portion— Kmart buildings could come back to about 2 percent—of the approxi- life as churches,schools,libraries, ' mately 66 million square feet of retail city offices,recreation centers,med- space in the Metroplex. ical and fitness centers or other But the fallout will be wide-rang- unconventional uses,said McDonald, ing,real estate and retail people say. ' Some shopping centers may see a drop in status when anchor spaces occupied by Kmart either remain vacant or are occupied by stores or nonretail uses that generate less traf- fic and revenue,real estate experts said.And rents will probably drop at ' centers that are trying to persuade tenants to stay when Kmart moves out. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE -;—' OFA x; r MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY H` YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR j DA TEDISTRIBUTED j Qq t �� DATEOFARTICLE 1/A3 �C3 NEWSPAPER FWST ly need specific store confi>l- rations and thus prefer to built their facilities,Murphy sai e Wal-Mart is almost excl� Y 114 i :I pke sively building its 208,000- + a who has represented Kmart in square-foot Wal-Mart Super- there1 past and who handled the center prototype stores in t E�r� a t irnlltrn ,,I j/j} disposition of closed Food Metropm ze� lex.Target is us �Ae * �yN4 5 735nh ��LL'�E t7aN q ry w Lions in the late 1990s. similar mega-store design. ®a'," 1 �„ mak{�>4b s: #st'�" �:. x t{ , ca!evw0e Other former Kmarts could "There are plenty of the !" kO ® become ethnic shopping cen- Kmart locations with huge W. ' f ters,similar to the Asian mar- potential...but not great HySfat orn crlyt ketplace that supplanted an potential for Wal-Mart or Tar- w '"" �kc4t ^`.�� {u ,t�;,,s,+•'�+r� �k + �t'360 ` old Home Depot and shoppingrt get,"said Weitzman's McD I. X ttY ®4 center at Pioneer Parkway and old. E a �i.0WE 0 # µ v� �' k , , New York Avenue in east t 4 }z a 30 McDonald characterized 1; ® r pe µ �tiy ® Arlington. the Kmart shutdown as more *.t ems! � & e a�+� ,. 30 y Sr t ^r� McDonald recentlyhandled of a"hiccup"than a disaster 2f�. , 820 fitff, � � r ��E Adl'rigtoR O a deal that placed the multi- for the local retail market. ' " AffG � � tenant Mercado Azteca in a However,recent area clo- � 100,000-square-foot former sures by Montgomery Ward, Kmart at Interstate 30 and Service Merchandise and 1 s kw� Buckner Boulevard in Dallas. Wickes Furniture and the .:� �• � 35++ 4 �� . tot, tae Although old Kmarts can be FtA �xnpending closures of several subdivided for smaller opera- MJDesign locations could slow �! � tors,few retailers need the the roc replacement P p ess. € ���" depth that a Kmart store site Several Kmarts from the pnrlesnrt®. offers,said Brian Murphy, closings in 2002"are still avail- senior vice president of able,"McDonald said. a closings ; Staubach Retail Services. And at least a third of the Kmart has closed,or is closing,almost 30 stores in the Metroplex,including all of "One of the challenges is recently closed Winn-Dixie its Tarrant County stores.Area store closings: the limited number of tenants sites are still on the market. ■ Arllo tr3n- . ■ fciiieyvil e ■ Hurst who need 50,000 square feet Because major grocers have 1.2540 E.Pioneer 6.4761 Colleyville Blvd, 11.1405 W.Pipeline Road and more,"Murphy said.Hob- snapped up the more strategi by Lobby and some furniture Winn-Dixie locations,they Parkway ■ �.�rrts€! ■ Irving chains-aree-amon the best suit- less likely to move into the old 2.-915 E.RandorlOf Roars 7 2300 W.University Drive 12.3500 W.Airport ed for the sites,he said. Kmarts brokers said. 3 tf50 S.Cooper SF ■ Rr.t.4�'s,rtlt Freeway ■ F , '� 'S." Vvorf h sa Blvd. ■ Wi€i1:e Settlement Murphy recently represent- Kmart's ongoing bankrupt' ed the owner of a recently cy proceedin s are ex ected to 4 104 No,th+aa•i Pa-!,ty ay 9 ,ACU S.Ilulen St. 13.1701 S.Cherry Lane closed 84,000-square-foot complicate the process, P artic- y Kmart in Garland when it was ularly because most of the 5.877,k Ardbui r Bivd. 10 16 Denton Highway sold to discount retailer Bar locations have different own-t Kmart also tha.s clored,16 other Stares in the Metroplex area: gain Tomm• ers. Although big-box retailers The latest round of store I Allen r�d a!hill Dr+ncar!ville Sherman I Allen r e !f Hill Garland C/_) such as Wal-Mart,Target, closings will leave just 19 of 1 1 Kohl's,Home Depot,Lowe's Kmart's 54 Texas stores open., I F3alc h a in ,1,i1 ;R3 Greenville Home Improvement and Most of the remaining stores Plano, may supermarkets 1 Y come to are medium-size locations in mind as candidates for the bet- smaller communities such as , ter spaces,those firms general- Longview,Lufkin,Lubbock, t r. 3 { DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE 3 OF 3 MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ AID GTVA Y ' YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS TVILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED �,�1C'� DATE OF ARTICLE j „(� /G NEWSPAPER FWST Killeen,Sweetwater and 35 Kmarts,will lose six Kmart ' Texarkana,although six stores anchor stores,including one at in the El Paso area will also Bardin Place shopping center remain open. at South Cooper Street and In March,Kmart closed 10 Interstate 20 in south Arling- ' stores in Fort Worth-Dallas. ton.New Plan,whose Kmart Retail consultant Al Meyers, stores comprise 4.2 percent of vice president of business its annual base rents,has development for Retail For reached a tentative agreement ' ward,said Kmart opted to pull with Kmart regarding rent out of the Metroplex instead of reductions at six more loca- keeping open its better-per- tions,the company said. forming stores,"because you Houston-based Weingarten ' have to have tremendous Realty Trust will see two of its economies of scale to be com- petitive in Dallas-Fort Worth six Kmart anchors go dark in and you can't have that with shopping centers. ' just the five or six top stores." Many closing Kmarts were Some of the chain's most locked in at below-market profitable regional locations rental rates for long-term leas- will be far easier to"backfill" es,said Patrice Duker,a than older neighborhood sites, spokeswoman for the New Murphy said. York-based International "And you can bet that Home Council of Shopping Centers. ' Depot,Lowe's and Sears are all "So the one positive in this is over these,trying to see if they that it will allow the freeing up make sense,"said Murphy, of real estate space for other ' who has done real estate work uses,"she said."I certainly for Target. think the industry is going to Although Wal-Mart.and absorb the closings,but it will Target will probably not have a take longer than Wards,for ' use for many,if any,of the example." vacant Kmart buildings,they Duker said strip centers and -_ -may buy-the real estate-and-_ -_-their owners may suffer dis- - --- -- -- build on it,Murphy said. proportionately because ten- Shopping center owners, ants won't have another large including several publicly trad- traffic generator to keep rents ed real estate investment and sales up. trusts,are also feeling the sting ' of the Kmart closings. Eric Kleiner,owner of Hob- Malan Realty Investors, byTown USA in the Big K which had 27 Kmart store leas- anchored Bardin center,said es accounting for 25 percent of Kmart's imminent departure ' the total base rent in its portfo- "is going to hurt us.They are lio,started liquidating its cen- probably the No.l draw here. ters in late 2002,after the first They bring people into the ' round of store closures. parking lot,and then they find New Plan Excel Realty us." Trust,which has holdings in Steve McLinden,(817)548-5522 shopping centers that include mclinden@star-telegram.com DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE l OF _ MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GWAY YOUNG. McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMf IN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED ! `i L?' DATE OF ARTICLE l �' NEWSPAPER FWST ID iUVes prey on. stolen mn By CHRIS NEELY Identity theft is the Euless,where about 60 percent of 4 STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER No.1 consumer-fraud residents live in apartments, has Law enforcement officials say complaint in 2002, Federal been hit especially hard by mailbox mailbox break-ins, primarily at Trade Commission officials say. . thieves, some more than once a apartment complexes, are largely to It's up 120 percent in Texas. week. Thieves get quicker results at blame for a 120 percent increase in apartment complexes,where break- ' statewide identity-theft complaints they're happening everywhere." ing one lock can give them access to in 2002. Identity theft accounted for about as many as 20 mailboxes, Euless "They're hitting us all over the 54 percent of all fraud complaints in police Lt.Steve Kockos said. Metroplex," said Kenny Smith, a Texas in 2002 and increased about "Private residences are also tar- i postal inspector in,Fort Worth for 87 percent from 2001,according to a geted, but it's primarily apartments I the U.S. Postal Service. "I mean report released Wednesday by the because of the total number of mail- Plano, Arlington, Euless, Irving — Federal Trade Commission. What it means to you "In five years,I've putting the category in the ■For information about reportingprobably investigated lead for the third consecutive and preventing consumer fraud and year. identity theft,visit the Federal Trade 200 people for Stealing The Justice Department Commission Web site at www.ftc.gov. has estimated that as many as ■To report possible consumer fraud, mail,and 190 of them 700,000 people in the United call the FTC at(877)382-4357. Were meth users States have had their identi- ■To report possible identity theft, Postal inspector Pete Vreeland ties stolen to secure fraudu- call the FTC at(877)438-4338. lent credit cards, telephones, ■To find out about reinforcing loans or government bene- apartment complex mailboxes,call area alone using them," he fits., postal inspector Petd Vreeland at said. "Last month, we had, Each identity theft costs (817)317-3412._ - about two" using reinforce---victims more than $1,000 to boxes you can access in one g ents. repair,the FTC has said. location, he said. mThe upgrade costs about Especially frustrating for Most mail thieves in the Pg p y g Metroplex are methampheta- $1,000,Smith said. consumers is forms of identi- mine users, said Pete Vree- "It's fairly expensive," he ty theft that they have almost land,a postal inspector. said but for the e of no way f stopping, said J. i "For some reason, the two mind for the residents, it's Howard Beales III, director of things seem to go hand-in- going to be well worth the the FTC's Bureau of Con- hand," he said. "They're'so money." sumer Protection. desperate for the drugs, According to the FTC "What we're seeing ' they'll do anything to get report, more than 380,000 increasingly is identity theft cases of consumer fraud were that occurs because some money. In five years, I've probably investigated 200 reported nationwide in 2002, insider steals information and ' r people for stealing mail, and an increase of about 72 per- sells it,"he said. 190 of them were meth users." cent over 2001. This report contains information from More and more, owners of Reports of identity theft The Associated Press. apartment complexes in the accounted for-about 43 per- Chris Neely,(817)685-3806 cent of those complaints, cneely@star-telegram.com Metroplex have begun fight- p ing back by reinforcing their mailboxes with hardened locks and stainless steel bars ' bolted to the insides of the l t boxes,Vreeland said. "We probably have at least 1 a dozen now in the mid-cities 1 ,44 DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE :---,< OF ' MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY ' YOUNG BICDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED 1 =t ; �, '25 DATE OF ARTICLE ,' ?` �= 3 NEWSPAPER FWST 1 Identl4 thefts on the rise � a= Nati©Wally,the number of identity theft complaints rose rom about 86,000 in 2001 to about 162,666 last yea[.Here are the Texas figures for 2002: Identity theft complaints from Texans ori 2002 Rank No.of victfnts 1.Credit card fraud . 5,660 ,.£ .. ' 2.Bank fraud 3.182; •22 3..Emplayment-related fraud 2,305 16�Io 3:Ahane/u€ilttyfrai�ti"', _ Z.305: <"1b% 5 GdVeFnment daCu�t entsltienefits fraud 3,33b 4010` ' 6aaan fraud 827':, t Total 14 35 NATE:Percentages to#af mods than 100 because some vktims reported more ttiao ' one type of identity theft ' Tap Texas identity theft victim locations; fiEy No!%) victims: ' 1,Houston 2.Da118 144 3,San Antonio 825` 4.Austin 543 5.Fort Worth -- - .472_ WURCE Federal Trade CA tn3ssion O DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR ' DATE DIS TRIB UTED D 1 �y DATE OF ARTICLEU C,' 9- 03 NEWSPAPER FWST • McDonald, the city's interim �1@ Pres@irY@ 8t earnnl ays director of parks and community services. McCOrmlCk Pdrk;, The city has suggested form- f utess • ing a group of students to help , design the park, which will be MidCities 81vd a an 1 n P rol p used for field trips when it's com- z 1 V <J pleted,McDonald said. " The Preserve at MCC ormick in Park, which will be next toMcCormick Park,will connect a e park chain of parks from Bob Eden Park on the ' west to the Villages of Bear Creek Park on the east. By ELLEN SCHROEDER The new Trails will eventuallybe linked STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER Mapped area Preserve from Industrial Boulevard to EULESS — A new park at McCormick Park will be Texas 360,McDonald said. Fart with two large ponds, a used by students Sandlin said he donated the ,, ,,, "worth i boardwalk and trails will studying ecology as well land because it will help create open off Main Street within as by residents who want the link.The park will also bean the next three years. to bike,hike or play, city amenity for residents living in STAR-TELEGRAM/TIM BEDISof� Euless received a officials say. the Fountain Park subdivision, and from private cash donatiol $500,000 grant from the although it will be accessible to Forty-three applicants Texas Parks and Wildlife The Preserve at anyone. requesting more than$18 milli o Department on Thursday to McCormick Park will "It just made all the sense in competed for the Texas Park include 15 acres of open the world to to connect all the develop a 27-acre park space, a half-mile hike-and- and Wildlife Department grin , between Fuller-Wiser Road p parks together because it benefits said Tun Hogsett,director of the-+ bike trail, a rou foot board- departments recreation grant and Main Street. The land everyone,"he said. walk, a playground a fishing The ci must match the t will be donated by develop- tY >� program. Fourteen of thos e r Terry Sand 1 i n, who is pier, a pavilion and five pic- with an additional$500,000.The applications were funded for$6 nic tables with grills accord- $356,000 value of the land that building houses on about 36 million. ing to the proposal. will be donated b Sandlin could acres at the nearby Fountain y ONLINE www.tpwdstate.tx.us The park will also have a help pay the city's portion.The www.deuless.h.us Park subdivision. wetland a bird habitat an* rest could come from city funds, Ellen Schroeder,(817)685 3815 The.grant gives.the city outdoor classroom and a labor,-equipment-and materials three years to build the park, eschroeder@startelegram.com grove of trees to be planted ' but officials say it might be by the city.Some of the land t done in less than two years. is in a flood plain for Little "It has a natural environ- Bear Creek that would have I ment within the urban core prevented houses from t of the city,"said Eric Wilhite, being built there. ` the city's planning and devel- "It'll be really an educa opment manager. "While it's tional park. We really been altered to some extent, want to get the school dis- it's still going to be preserved tricts involved," said Ray as much as possible." More on RECREATION on 16B + d g 'E fi a