CALLING ALL TAGGERS…
I look at the facade of this abandoned Wal-Mart in Hemet, California, I think, what a great opportunity for politically motivated taggers. That big block of blue is just begging for a message. And with our recession, there are going to be a lot more canvases out there.
Since plans for a new Sam’s Club in Hemet have collapsed, the old Wal-Mart building across from Hemet Valley Mall — where the warehouse club store would have been built — now sits boarded up and empty with its fate undecided.
Wal-Mart, the parent company of the popular warehouse store, has announced that plans to build Sam’s Club have been abandoned to focus on other stores in the region. Store officials said they are actively trying to sell the Hemet property.
The Arkansas-based retailer announced in early 2005 a plan to tear down an existing, former Wal-Mart discount store on Florida Avenue, near Gilmore Street. A new Wal-Mart Supercenter opened on Sanderson Avenue in 2004 and Wal-Mart proposed a new 135,000-square-foot Sam’s Club to replace the old store. Sam’s Club would sell food and general merchandise and feature a 12-pump gas station.
But that was before nearly eight years of irrational economic euphoria began to collapse as the rotten, greed-cemented underpinnings evaporated. Not that observers haven’t understood that Wal-Mart’s building spree was not sustainable.
What is happening in Hemet should serve as a cautionary tale for other Inland cities dealing with Wal-Mart and other big box stores, said Al Norman, of Greenfield, Mass., a national critic of Wal-Mart for more than a decade.
“After seeing what Wal-Mart did, what it did to Hemet, leaving it at the altar, you probably don’t want to deal with that sort of entity anymore,” Norman said.
Norman, who protested plans to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hemet, said the city should have set up contingency plans or demanded demolition bond money for the old Wal-Mart building before allowing construction of the Supercenter.
“Hemet said yes to a superstore, over the objections of its residents … and they are reaping the results,” he said. “An empty building nearly the size of three football fields along one of its main commercial corridors.”
What sign do you think would look good on the blue rectangle?
Are we encouraging destruction of private property now?
I can only imangine what would happen if they posted a similar story on CheckOut with pictures of some small businesses, advocating for “taggers” to leave their messages.
Shalom Bob,
All property is theft!
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. But yeah, sometimes a non-violent public protest does have its place.
B’shalom,
Jeff
“What sign do you think would look good on the blue rectangle?”………………………………………………………………………………..
Maybe——”Chomp,chomp,—-another one bites the dust!” ?
Shalom Schaden,
7.2
B’shalom,
Jeff
“Jobs Rn’t Us”
Shalom Patty,
Lol! 8.5!
B’shalom,
Jeff
I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Hess. Hemet’s greedy political decision makers have left Florida Avenue with a black eye and they’ve let the bully have run of the town. I’m disgusted at the fact that there was no contingency plan for the old location. I only hope code enforcement officials ensure that Wal-Mart maintains the property keeping it free of graffiti and overgrown weeds. They should be forced to repaint the building and sweep the parking lot regularly or demollish the building to make room for new business. What the hell is wrong with the Hemet Planning Commission? How could you allow this building to stay that way on our main street for this long. Disgusting! Get off your lazy asses and DO SOMETHING about it!
Shalom Raptor,
First, please excuse the horrible tardiness in my reply.
Second, thank you for stopping in, for reading and, most importantly, for taking the time to join the discussion by writing a comment. Building community is all about the conversation.
What has happened to the building over the past two months? Perhaps you could send us a new picture?
B’shalom,
Jeff