21 replies to this topic

[Voz]

Quik Trip is looking to build a new location at 3400 Hulen, just south of the Central Market on Hulen. I'm trying to gauge the local business, traffic, and home value impacts of something like this but not sure where to grab data on that.  I'm hoping this forum's collective wealth of knowledge might be able to steer me in the right direction.

[jefffwd]

Although I do love QT...  I am totally against a QT in this location.  I live in East FW/Hurst (the land of the QTs). 

[JBB]

Is it finally happening? QT has been rumored for that stretch of Hulen for almost as long as they've been doing business in Texas. It seems like a strange location given that they're usually located at major intersections or along larger thoroughfares. That area already gets a lot of traffic so I can't imagine it being worse. I also can't see it looking any worse than the gas station/convenience store that already sits across from that lot.

[Dylan]

Although I do love QT...  I am totally against a QT in this location.  I live in East FW/Hurst (the land of the QTs). 

 

Why? Looks like auto-centric suburbia on Google Maps.

[mmiller2002]

That location seems wrong due to the twisty, hilly street and would make the left turns into a high traffic QT dangerous.

[JBB]

That's actually on the section of street that's pretty flat and straight. There's also a signal at that intersection.

[cberen1]

I think that will make hulen a traffic nightmare with people trying to turn left into the store and those trying to head north out of the store.

[Voz]

A little more background, this is not the first time QT has tried to come to this area.  I'm told they tried a few years ago to secure the site that the McDonald's and QuikSak share just a block north of their new proposed site.  The neighborhood associations from Alamo Heights and Sunset Heights scuttled it though.

 

I'd attach the proposed siteplan if I could figure out how to attach a document to the post.  But some of the concerns for the area are:

• Fuel truck delivery routes - They can't travel down Hulen so they have to cut through neighborhoods, either yours, ours, or both;
• Hulen congestion - There's no entrance to the QT on Hulen so that means people must turn in on Diaz or Houghton (likely Diaz since that's where the light is).  Regardless, Hulen will become more congestion.
• Additional cut-through traffic - With Hulen more congested, traffic cutting through both of our neighborhoods will be significantly increased.  For Alamo Heights, this could impact all streets between (and including) Ashland and Clover as well as Diaz and Donnelly.
• Road degradation - Regardless of whether it's increased traffic in cars or heavy trucks through our neighborhoods, the roads will be negatively impacted meaning more wear and tear on residents' cars.

It's unfortunate because I'd love a QT in that area but that's negative site for the neighborhoods.  Hopefully they can find a better site in the area.

[Voz]

That area already gets a lot of traffic so I can't imagine it being worse. I also can't see it looking any worse than the gas station/convenience store that already sits across from that lot.

 

Not sure if you recall the period of time when construction of the Hulen bridge was ongoing; traffic can get much worse on Hulen.

 

And yes, that QuikSak nearby is an eyesore.  It's up for sale but it's always been up for sale.  I suppose the bright side of QT going in next door is that it'd shut that store down.

[JBB]

I have no dog in this hunt at all, but I would have to say it isn't the best location. I have to think that if they're intent on having a location on Hulen, somewhere south of the bridge might be a better option.

[youngalum]

I believe the quicksak location is a surface lease only.

[McHand]

 

Although I do love QT...  I am totally against a QT in this location.  I live in East FW/Hurst (the land of the QTs). 

 

Why? Looks like auto-centric suburbia on Google Maps.

 

 

 

It is....technically.  It's one of the old first-ring streetcar suburbs. 

[Dismuke]

My guess is QT is interested in the area because that part of town is very under served in terms of gas stations.  Basically, there is the Shell at Montgomery and I-30 which, as far as I have generally observed, is one of the most expensive gas stations I regularly go past.  There is a gas station with a very small number of pumps at the Murder 7-11 on Camp Bowie  and, last I recall seeing, the old Mobil on Camp Bowie still sold gas, through I think it is full service.  Not many options on the south side of the freeway either - and my guess is most people there go to the Shell as well.

 

I probably won't go to the QT at the proposed location as I only occasionally go down Hulen much further than Central Market.  But I sure would welcome some sort of competition that would draw traffic away from that Shell.   That is the gas station I almost always use despite its high prices simply because of its convenient location which I go past every time I get on I-30 to head to work.  My free time is too limited to make it worth my while to go through the extra hassle of exiting the freeway someplace else for no other reason than to save a buck or two on a tank of gas.  But there are occasions when I actually end up having to wait for an open pump at that Shell - which I find particularly annoying and completely defeats the purpose of my buying gas there in the first place.   So if QT can draw away some of the traffic from the Shell and eliminate those occasions, I would regard that as a good thing.  And if the extra competition results in them having to knock their prices down a bit - that would also be a good thing.

[renamerusk]

... And if the extra competition results in them having to knock their prices down a bit - that would also be a good thing.

 

I chat regularly with the store manager at Krogers and he admits to me that he checks daily AM & PM with gas prices at QT before setting his own retail price for gasoline.

[John T Roberts]

The Zoning Case for the QuikTrip will be heard by the Zoning Commission at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, April 8th.  This will be the public's chance to speak either for or against this project.  If you miss this, another opportunity will be to go before City Council when it is on their agenda.  (Providing the Zoning Commission approves the case.)  The City Council meeting will be at night.

[Voz]

The QuikTrip zoning case was approved today.

 

Out of curiousity, does anyone know what it takes to get a zoning case rejected by the commission?

[John T Roberts]

Usually a lot of neighborhood opposition will kill a zoning case, but not always.  Your neighborhood still has a chance to present to City Council, but it will take even more people who are against the project to show up and speak.  Even then, Council will probably already have their minds made up.

[Jimmy]

Buried in a story about lake levels, Caty Hirst of the Star-Telegram had a blurb about QT losing their zoning request.  Article states that QT attempted to build a store in the vicinity in 2007, as well.

 

LINK.

[JBB]

That's great news for the neighborhood. I think the lot where McDonald's ended up was the location they originally wanted.

[John T Roberts]

I read that in the paper today.  I was going to post a link to the article, but I didn't have time this morning.  I think this is great for the neighborhood and I also think that JBB is correct in the location where they were looking to build previously.  I think that was on the current McDonald's site.

[Voz]

JBB is correct, the 2007 attempt was at the lot that both McDonald's and QuikSak currently occupy.  There will continue to be development pressures on the area, which we think is wonderful, but hopefully they'll include proposals for something a bit more neighborhood-friendly than a gas station.

[mmiller2002]

That strip of hulen doesn't need any more reason to have traffic turning left...