Circle K is continuing its push for the development of a new station and store on the southeast corner of Roosevelt and Seventh streets. The move is once again prompting strong responses from community members similar to those expressed during the original proposal last winter.
The new location would include six double-sided fuel dispensers for a total of 12 fueling stations, down from 16 in last year’s proposal. This change affords space for a larger convenience store. According to Suzy Peel, Circle K real estate development manager for the Arizona region, the reason for the pump decrease is to expand Circle K’s food selection.
“Our new focus is our food service offering, which requires more square footage than we have in the current facility,” Peel said. “The goal is to provide our consumers with healthier choices. Additionally, the new store will provide for expanded vehicle parking for the safety and convenience of our customers.”
At a Garfield Organization Revitalization and Economic Development Committee meeting Tuesday night at Verde Park, the community and Circle K will get a chance to offer their perspectives on the proposed convenience store and gas station.
A previous issue for the surrounding community is the lack of communication between the two parties, and that Circle K has failed to significantly participate in the process of working with the community to decide what’s best. However, Peel said Circle K officials believe they have worked to satisfy community concerns over the last year.
“We are optimistic that the changes we made address the concerns of the community,” Peel said.
When asked about Circle K’s interaction with the neighborhood, board president of the Garfield Organization and co-chair of its Revitalization and Economic Development Committee, Dana Johnson, said that there has been little community outreach on Circle K’s part.
“We have talked briefly on the phone to set up the meeting for Tuesday,” Johnson said. “They didn’t reach out to the community. They haven’t tried to talk to us. We had to be ready to go at the last minute to get this set up, and it’s not appreciated.”
Peel recently sent letters to community organizations, such as Roosevelt Row and the Evans Churchill Community Association, but the letter to the Garfield Organization was mailed to the wrong address.
Johnson also said that the new Circle K would increase traffic congestion and potentially be the root of certain problems in the area.
“Well, there’s no doubt that the existing Circle K is a dumpy, little store,” Johnson said. “It’s congested to get in and out of, and there’s no doubt a lot of our residents would like to replace it. But there’s also no doubt that it’s pretty empirical that that Circle K, along with the other two in our neighborhood have all been crime magnets.”
According to a 2012 report by Arizona State University’s Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Circle Ks across the Valley are “most responsible for crime and disorder in each city (Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe).”
However it should be noted that the location in question, on Seventh Street and Roosevelt, is not on the top 10 generators list for the city of Phoenix in this study.
“Why should we reward a bad business partner by saying ‘Yes, you can expand and cause more problems?’” Johnson said. “Yes, many people in our neighborhood would like a bigger store, but we’re just rewarding them to bring in more problems to the neighborhood, increase traffic and make it harder to get in and out.”
David Marsh, co-owner of Red Hut Coffee, which shares an intersection with Circle K, said that he could see both potential benefits and problems of having a larger store near his own.
“I know in a neighborhood where there’s more services offered and more people can come around, generally that type of thing helps businesses,” Marsh said. “I imagine that having the sale of alcohol readily available to more people may come with a few issues. There may be more opportunities for people to become inebriated and walk around the streets.”
The move requires Circle K to obtain a new liquor license and use a permit in order to continue to sell alcohol. The liquor license is required because the building will be in a different location, while the use permit is necessary because the property is within 300 feet of a residential zone.
Circle K attempted to develop the corner last year, but the company halted this process after it withdrew its use permit application. However, Peel said that Circle K could build the store without the license and permit.
Contact the reporter at travis.arbon@asu.edu
