According to reliable sources, the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department is likely to permit the former Ocean Beach antique mall for a new Target as long as the Target Express closes at 5pm. And supposedly, Target has agreed to this restriction.
This is astounding as 5 pm is supposed to be Target’s busiest time of the day – and no other Target Express in the country closes at 5pm.
Sources close to the behind-the-scenes negotiations highly doubted that Target would live up to this time limit.
The issue is parking.
The new Target will not have enough parking spaces after 5pm, says DSD. The building currently has 31 spaces but with the shared-parking agreement the mall had with South Beach Bar & Grill, there’s insufficient parking for a commercial establishment at that location post 5pm. In comparison, if Target was to construct an entirely new building at that site, they would be required by the city to have 45 parking spaces.
But, hey, it’s not all bad news for Target. Ordinarily, the city wouldn’t permit a building if the parking issue hadn’t been settled. Yet, for Target, one of the largest corporate retailers in the country – nothing is too good for them. The city is allowing them to move forward in setting up shop, so to say – without having sufficient parking. One source surmised, “The city never begins construction before parking is resolved. … Corporations have their own set of rules.”
So, what will the new Target Express do? There aren’t that many options.
Close at 5pm – unlike any other Target Express and during the busiest – money-making hour?
Or, simply lie on the forms and plans – tell the city, ‘sure, we’ll close at 5,’ (wink, wink) – and then the city says, okay, sign here – and move in?
Oh, wait! There is another option.
They could close whenever they like and just say something like my ex-Army dad used to say when he was pouring himself a drink, “Well, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.”
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Between the commentary and the quotes from “sources,” I’m going to just assume Frank made this whole thing up. I know this isn’t a newspaper, but this is just a hit piece with overly uninformed assumptions about the permitting process.
Can you please provide examples of when other retail developments were denied permits before the parking has been “worked out.” Also, please speak to the ramifications of Target does not fall through. The “its 5 o’clock somewhere” line is really silly, even for a “rag.”
Some people thought we made up the original story of Target Express moving in. Some even called our report “fake news”. We stand by this story.
Portugalia is an examples of when other retail developments were denied permits before the parking has been “worked out.”
Are there really going to be that many people who -drive- to a target express at once? Most people who feel like driving to a target will go to the full size Sports Arena location.
The target express I visited in another city was about the size of a large CVS. 31 parking spaces seems fine to me. The problem with parking requirements is that the more you force people to orient building around cars, the more people drive.
Also, outside of special event days, the multiple paid lots on Newport are usually 3/4 empty, so is the huge CVS lot a half block away. There is simply no shortage of parking on Newport.
Isn’t South Beach removing some dining space to allow Target to use their parking?
See our latest: “City Confirms the Ocean Beach Target Cannot Be Open from 5 pm to 2 am”, https://obrag.org/2018/04/city-confirms-the-ocean-beach-target-cannot-be-open-from-5-pm-to-2-am/
Who the hell parks up there to go to south beach? Haha
Keep Target OUT of OB!!!