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Show "1 "TT1 The Park Record D Section D Page D4 D Thursday, July 27, 1995 Rzza&Nqddle 645-8878 530 Main Street a Rent increases result in death for businesses Free Twin Prints Every Tuesday & Thursday Custom Enlargements Professional Color Processing Develop 6 rolls anytime, & 7th roll always FREE d90 Bonanza Drive Park City, UT 64060 601-655-0400 Park City Plaza (next to Mtn. Chicken) ,, II Off of 35mm n nmrfiec'mi II expires 33195 ' ' I Limit 4 rolls per customer 1 1 II IL i $1 Off Any 6x10 enlargement from any 35mm negative expires 63195 one coupon per customer continued from D1 in two years, prompting owner David Dean to say he is leaving Park City after 12 years when the current lease is up. "I have been this landlord's only tenant for 12 years," said Dean. "He said, you're a wonderful tenant, we want you to stay." After negotiating two five-year leases over the course of his tenancy, and a current three-year agreement with a two-year option, Dean said he tried to get a further extension and was unable to strike a deal. "I was unable to get him to say anything other than, my partners are elderly and they don't know what they want to do with the building," Dean explained, adding that he later received a letter which said, "my partners have decided to open their own store, and we have decided not to renew your lease. They have stated flatly they will not renew my lease." With no lease agreement, Dean has also been unable to sell his business, and has few qualms about fingering the Olympics as the cause of his rental problems. "That is exactly my perception," he said. "I had an earnest money check in my hand (for the sale of Cabin Fever.) I would also like to point out that I have been paying top dollar ($25 per square foot)." Apparently, seasonal business has been too hard on Dean. When Cabin Fever closes at its present location, he won't be searching for another locale. In truth, fingering something like the Olympics specifically as the cause of skyrocketing rent is difficult to do. Common sense dictates that seven years is too long a period for landlords to survive if they keep jacking the rent. It seems like business suicide. Additionally, Park City is a growing resort town with a fluctuating market, and since prices here haven't approached prices in places like Aspen and Vail, many would argue that rents are fair and are just changing with the onset of growth. Those five rings have nothing to do with it. "This had nothing to do with that (the Olympics)," said Lee Druckman, owner of the building which houses Cabin Fever, as to why no lease agreement has been reached with Dean. Druckman maintains that an agreement is still a possibility, and that he and his partners simply didn't want to make a commitment that far into the future. It certainly is his right, and perhaps only the timing is making his motives appear questionable. "I think in the last year, before the bid, rents have gone up substantially," said Bill Ligcty, an agent with Prudential Coleman Real Estate in Park City. "I guess it's a fact of life that as the economics of the town get healthier, there becomes competition for that space. Sometimes in the process, businesses that have been able to subsist because of low rent can't make it because they don't change with the times. In order to compete in this market, somebody has to really do their homework." Perhaps that's true, but difficult to explain to an individual business owner who is watching their dream go down the drain because land values are going up and they can't pay the extra rent the landlord is charging to cover the increase in taxes. "We're paying half again as much as we were paying," said Shari Milner, manager of Chameleon Artwear, which will be closing in September. But Bill Puckett,. owner of Chameleon's building said he is just trying to stay ahead of tax increases and boosted land valuations every time he increases the rent. "The'taxes'in that building have gone up over $6,000 in the last ten years," Puckett said. "It had nothing to do with the Olympics. I don't really care, it doesn't mean anything to me. I'm just in it for whatever's realistic." The tax figures from Puckett are backed up by LcRoy Pia of The Appraisal Group, who tracks rents and tax rates in Park City. According to Pia, rental rates tracked over the last ten years show an average 9 percent increase per year, and currently stand at between $25 and $30 per square a gup Gart Bros, and Gart Sports are NOW ONE great sporting goods company. mmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm g0 US. Olympic Festival-S j Gart Sports is a Proud Patron of the U.S. Olympic Festival '95 July 21-30 if- A " CHEYENNE MEN'S HIKING BOOTS (OP 49. SCORPIO! MEN'S & LADIES' RUNNING SHOES ESCAPE III LOW MEN'S HIKING BOOTS ik, V J W 49.99 A . jl ' 4 (EK v r TdiSod LT" Q piEG.799-14.99 ORIG. $17-24.99 REG. tlTloV I VQ KIDS' HIKING LZkll f UfiT J 0Tg. fl6-S30 1 ' r "v - ""V. H lUIIU I UlJir -. -Saf rMi.v.' 'i A Willi H B- k V. KaV"KI ' JmKSl adidas if f SUPPORT I : TRAINER MEN'S I CROSS TRAINERS adidas ADVANCED MEN'S RUNNING SHOES, rk , " STAMINA LOW v ' 760 ... N MEN'S I MFN'C A ZS XdlL AIR ESCHUTZ MEN'S & LADES' SPORT SANDALS, adidas UJ MEN'S I J DM3IVCIDMLL li a SHOES INTERIM MARKDOWNS MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN. NOT ALL SIZES STYLES OR COLORS AVAILABLE AT ALL LOCATIONS. SOME QUANTITIES LIMITED. AD 951243 EXPIRES 8695I Full Selection Store 1780 Park Avenue 649-6922 Hours: Mon-Fri 8-9, Sat 9-6, -Sun 12-5 PARK Specialty Store t the Resort Center 649-2002 Hours: Doily 11-5 foot for prime, street-level space. Over roughly the same time period, property valuations have increased an average of three percent per month. Of course landlords are going to pass those tax increases on to the tenants. "Always that happens," said Pia, "There are many local retailers who probably won't be around (for the Olympics)." Some won't even be around to see this summer's Art Festival. "The Olympics are sort of behind it, but it's been going on the last few years," said Earlene Kimball, who owned Cottage Industries in Park City for eight years before leaving last month. "I've been just a break-even operation for the last three years. A lot of these landlords don't seem to realize in Park City, you only make money six or seven months a year. "They'll end up with the same old stores there. Benetton, Gap, Laura Ashley. The mom and pop shops won't be able to make it. Maybe that's called progress, but a lot of individual owners won't be able make it." It kind of becomes a chicken and egg thing. Did the rent hikes spurred by growth and increased land values come first, or did the prospect of the Olympics goad the rental rates higher and higher. "Rents today are still not as high as in a lot of resort towns," said Ligety. Adds Pia, "We realistically compete with the Colorado resorts now, when we hoped to compete with them in the last decade. It's really an interesting time." And are the Olympics part of the cause of rising rents? Sort of, Pia said, but not directly. "In a way, maybe, as an aside." They just add fuel to an already burning fire. The national recognition and growing market were here already. "I'd say many Parkites question whether the Olympics are an enhancement of their lifestyle," added Pia With little room for growth in Old Town, there isn't much chance rates will ever decrease. "It's the one part of town that has virtually no potential room for growth," said Dean, adding that the Olympics won't be a big benefit for him. Without the games in Park City to look forward to, Dean is left with the prospect of hoping for a successful going-out-of-business sale so he can break even on the merchandise. "That's certainly absolutely the very best I can hope for," he said. Planned Parenthood expands continued from D1 aches, skin disorders, high blood pressure, and other common ailments." The Planned Parenthood center will focus on preventative medicine and offer sports physicals, but won't provide emergency or pediatric care. The new services are available immediately. Even with the changes. Planned Parenthood of Park City will of course still offer comprehensive family planning services such as birth control and cancer screening. The changes aren't only taking place in Park City. Staff at Planned Parenthood centers all over the country have noted for some time that they see many patients who are not getting basic health care. For many women, the only time they seek medical attention is to get an annual pap smear. "I can't tell you how often our patients ask us about other health concerns. Now, we'll be able to help," said Julie D'Amore, clinical assistant and educator at the clinic. Other reasons for the new services include the changes in health care occurring across the country, with more emphasis on looking at the whole person, more emphasis on good health and preventive measures, D'Amore stressed. She also cited Park City's need for affordable health care. "We've got a large population who may not be insured, who may not be making a lot of money. Since we are a non-profit agency, we keep our prices as low as possible." D'Amore cautioned that Planned Parenthood is not a free clinic and will have fixed fees for medical services. Many insurance plans are accepted. For an appointment or more information, call 649-5989. If i |
