[RP TownTalk] Rough estimate: Whole Foods might take up 1/5 of the Cafritz Property

[Dwight Holmes]

I've added a fourth image at http://rpcoffeehouse.blogspot.com/ that shows
the outlines of 3 different Whole Foods stores (P St., Falls Church, and
Silver Spring) superimposed on the Cafritz Property -- you can see there's
quite a variation in "footprint".  Of course, the P St store not only has
"hidden parking" (underground and on the roof) but is also a stand alone
store, whereas the other two are in shopping centers with various smaller
stores, so it would seem unlikely that a Cafritz retail center could shrink
itself down to the size of the P St. Whole Foods. Nonetheless, sometimes
"less is more" and it may show the way towards avoiding having to sing a
chorus of Joni Mitchell's "they paved paradise/put up a parking lot."

On 6/4/07, Dwight Holmes <dwightrholmes at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> At "Riverdale Park Coffee House" (blog) (
> http://rpcoffeehouse.blogspot.com/) I've posted 3 photo/maps that will
> give you an idea of how much of the Cafritz Property might be taken up by a
> Whole Foods store & parking lot...
>
> "This question of 'how big is a Whole Foods in relation to [the Cafritz]
> property?' came to mind as I was seeing and hearing an ever-expanding "wish
> list" develop at the meeting. Included: many competing priorities. Housing,
> amenities, greenspace, Whole Foods, hardware store, ethnic restaurants,
> minimize environmental impact, hiker-biker trail, playgrounds, etc... Since
> shopping centers come with big parking lots, how much of your 36 acres are
> you willing to give up to asphalt for retail shopping? (BTW, I asked if
> they'd considered putting the parking underground and on the roof, as at the
> P St. Whole Foods -- "We haven't gotten that far, yet.")
>
> Overall, I left with an image of the magical Arabian tent from childhood
> cartoons -- tiny from the outside, seemingly infinitely large on the inside.
> So what of these many, desirable ideas will give way as the project takes
> shape?"
>
> --
> Riverdale Park Coffee House (blog)
> http://rpcoffeehouse.blogspot.com/
> ~~
> (Revised) Map of Riverdale Park MD Trolley Hiker-Biker Trail and Cafritz
> Property
> http://tinyurl.com/2wsfql
> ~~
> Tracking the Washington Nationals' 2007 season (will they catch the '62
> Mets?):
> http://tinyurl.com/2m6f43
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