Evictions to make way for Carson City Square demolition

Businesses in the Carson City Square shopping center have been notified they have to vacate the property by July 1 so it can be demolished to make room for the bypass.

Some tenants of the center, between Lompa Lane and Dori Way on Highway 50 East, said Tuesday that they are in the process of negotiating for new locations.

The Nevada Department of Transportation owns the shopping center, having taken it by eminent domain in April 1996. And the tenants have known since then that the day would eventually come when they would have to move out.

"Our leases said that we would be told we have to vacate," said Annette Jacobini, manager of Tahoe Pool and Spa's retail store. "We're concerned that they're going to move everybody out, then the space will sit vacant for months before they start to tear it down."

The buildings will not stay up that long, a state spokesman said Tuesday. Scott Magruder said the buildings have to be cleared from the site this fall and construction on the site is scheduled to start Feb. 1, 2001.

"The buildings may still be there for a month or two because there are some preliminary things to do before demolition," Magruder said. "But we've got a demolition contract being finalized and almost ready to be signed."

Jacobini said the store received a 90-day notice to vacate by July, but that it indicated a tenant who was unable to find a new location by then could have up to a month longer.

"It's difficult to find affordable retail space in town. The new buildings are nice, but they want $1.25 a square foot (per month) and that's too much," Jacobini said. "We're negotiating on a space across the street by Scolari's. They said that whole shopping center there is going to get a facelift and will all be stuccoed."

Jacobini said the tenants did pay a lower than market rental rate in Carson Square.

"We were fortunate to find comparable space in the same area. We'll pay a bit more and will be downsizing a bit," Jacobini said.

The volunteers running Computer Corps are facing a significant challenge with the relocation, according to Ron Norton, program director and co-founder of the non-profit group that accepts donations of computers and parts and donates upgraded machines to schools and other non-profits.

"We need about 40,000 square feet for our warehouse, classrooms and production area," Norton said.

The corps currently is leasing two spaces at the center, a former shop used for classroom training and the old Lucky Store for warehouse space.

He said the group's lease from the state is at a very low cost and finding replacement space is difficult for an all-volunteer groups that has no conventional revenue source.

"We've found an ideal facility that would last us at least five years as we continue to expand our programs and services," Jenkins said. "But we're $3,499,999 short on a $3.5 million deal."

He said Gov. Kenny Guinn recently visited the Computer Corps headquarters on Morgan Mill Road and its operations in Carson Square to see if there was any way the state could help.

"The governor was very impressed with what we're doing. He and his staff are trying to see if someone can buy a building and donate it to us," Jenkins said.

Stamp A Lot owner Vicki Palmer said she is negotiating a lease for a location that will offer better exposure for her store.

Some former tenants left Carson City Square well before the expected eviction.

The U.S. Postal Service closed down its Airport Station branch there in 1999 after building a new office at Highway 50 East and Empire Ranch Road. Long's Drugs built a new store at Airport Road and Highway 50 East to replace its Carson Square location.

The Mexican restaurant El Aguila Real moved four months ago to Gardnerville at 1387 Highway 395. And BJ'Z Photo moved a block west into the former Blimpie Subs building in front of Scolari's.

Magruder said the Little Caesar's Pizza Pizza and Port of Subs restaurants are being helped with finding new locations through the state's relocation assistance program because they were in Carson Square before the state assumed ownership.

Attempts to contact Robin Runzel, who owns Cee Cee's Bridal Warehouse and the Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors in Carson Square, were unsuccessful Tuesday. The manager of AFT Rent-To-Own declined comment.