Pawn shop in city's crosshairs

[red]

www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_3800505

By voting to use eminent domain if needed, the City Council has taken the first steps in securing downtown's last prime corner property for redevelopment.

Owners of Azusa business could be forced out for redevelopment.

The property, referred to as Block 36, is on 2.85 acres which the developers want to turn into 68 condominiums over ground-floor retail.

"We have a project to develop here and have to go down a different, parallel path to make sure we're able to move forward on our schedule to redevelop that block," Coleman said.

[finally]

I can't wait for them to move. It is very sad that a pawn shop is in the main intersection of the city. The red light district had to go and not the dumpy pawn shop has to go as well.

It is time to them goodbye

[They are unrealistic]

I don't know what delusional world they live in, calling themselved the beating heart of Azusa - ? - I've been here a very VERY long time and can tell you that I've never even thought about going there... and I've known lots of Azusa residents throughout my life who would never go there.

A pawn shop performs a service, sure. And they have clients who use them (I'm pretty sure the majority of them are non-residents of Azusa). But they could be anywhere and those clients would find them. They DON'T need to bring down a prime commercial corner like Foothill & Azusa. Pawn shops are primarily known by reputation, not location. So they should accept a relocation to the Industrial District more west on Foothill. Their customers will stick with them.

But for some reason, they want to be the lone holdout and force the council to use eminent domain. If they want to add an obstructionist vibe to their business reputation, then fine. Like I said, they sound a little delusional. Their web site brags mostly about the huge selection of guns they sell. That wouldn't be what Azusa residents would call a ''beating heart'' of their city.