With the interest ISU students have taken in the city of Ames recently, I thought it appropriate to inform you of the events around the Bucky Wolford Lifestyle Center proposalÿthat has changed drastically since first brought to our attention as a Regional Commercial Center at 13th Street and I-35.

ÿWith each revision of the “zoning agreement” that Bucky Wolford has negotiated with the city of Ames, the city manager and others have made it easier for Wolford’s development. I understand that it was the job of the city to get the best agreement they could before the city council. Instead we now have Wolford’s last offer, and it is pretty pathetic.

Wolford originally was to purchase the land for the strip mall/Lifestyle Center (the North Site) and Power Center (The South Site) by December 2005. Now he has been given another year, until December 2006 to purchase the land for the strip mall (the North Site) and until December 2007 to purchase the land for the Power Center (South Site).

Wolford’s strip mall/Lifestyle Center was originally to include two major anchor stores with at least one being new to the area. Now he doesn’t have to include any new anchor stores. Does it make sense to anyone to move existing anchor stores from a convenient location to an inconvenient one across a major freeway?

Wolford originally had to get firm rental commitments for only 329,000 square feet before he gets building permits for the North Site.

To get building permits for the Power Center (which is now optional for him to build) Wolford needs rental commitments for only 190,000 square feet. Although members of the public have pointed out these weakness in the document, these low space requirements have been retained. Remember, the North Grand Mall is 350,000 square feet with plenty of surrounding space for retail, professional and other opportunities to come. The result may be a much larger retail center there.

The latest draft of the agreement defines “retail store” as including office space. We could literally end up with a 329,000 square foot office complex that would qualify as a “Lifestyle Center.”

Unfortunately, offices tend to be for services or for corporate purposes and do not generate sales tax. Wolford originally had to contribute $250,000 for a bike path on the west side of I-35. In the revised document, that clause has been removed.

Wolford originally had to pay a one-time $100,000 to help pay for the operating costs of a bus route to the Strip Mall/Lifestyle Center. In the revised document, that clause has been removed. The only transportation Wolford will help with seems to be by car when he builds his parking lot—It is too far to walk. Who will pay for public transportation and bike/pedestrian access if not Wolford? You and I will.

So now we could get a little strip mall with lots of office space and possibly no Power Center. We have a watered-down overlay plan that does not meet the needs of dark sky people, environmental concerns, prevention of urban sprawl or the shopping needs of anybody. The Wolford project will be a long way out of town with no way to get there but by car. This whole project has a questionable financial future. Added sales tax revenue for the city? Not much, if any. If the costs to the city are considered, the project is likely to be a loss to Ames.

Wolford’s original sales projections were inflated, and he has not changed them even as the plans have shrunk considerably. Why does Wolford need so much more time to arrange financing? Perhaps those who lend money have looked at the facts made public by Ken Stone, an international expert. This is not a smart investment for our city or for Wolford. Let’s look at the facts and stop while we are ahead.