How about a dog with that carwash? Business owner Salim Tahir wants to open a drive-thru car wash and a Wienerschnitzel eatery near Mary’s Vineyard shopping center on Noble.The project would be located on a island between 198 and Noble across from KFC.You want sauerkraut with that shine?
Some signs of life in the Valley’s new homebuilding business. Visalia’s chief building official Greg Adams says they are processing three new home subdivisions this month,the first time in a while builders have submitted new tract plans.”They are pre-selling the homes before they build them” notes Adams, a way that clearly reduces the risk.Mangano Co is processing a 74 lot subdivision on 14.6 acres called Tumblerose on Linwood. In Lemoore two homebuilders have acquired mothballed new home tracts expecting the town to grow because of the NAS Lemoore expanding.
Lennar Fresno leads the builders pack with 65 new homes permitted so far this year in Tulare County followed by McMillin and Smee each with about 25 so far this year. Permits for 261 new homes have been issued to date compared to 315 this time last year, according to Construction Monitor.
American Tire Co wants to build a 7000 sf service center and store on So Mooney at 3921 S Mooney according to a plan filed with City of Visalia this week. Fast growing Discount Tire and America’s Tire are two names for one nationwide company. The firm started in Michigan in 1960 and has since spread from coast to coast with over 800 stores
In Shape Fitness will remodel the former 24Hr Fitness facility in back of the Sequoia Mall in Visalia according to a plan filed with the City of Visalia. The 20,400 sf building has been vacant for several years. As they remodel the space the company, who already has 3 locations in town, will open a space in the new location to market membership. It is considered likely the firm will close their nearby Caldwell Ave gym when the new larger space on Mooney at Caldwell opens
Central Valley hospitality industry recovery is not as strong as it is statewide in June with Fresno being the only metro ares in California reporting a decline, year-over-year, in hotel occupancy – 0.8% lower. Smith Travel Research reports occupancy in the Tulare/Visalia metro region was 1.5% higher and Bakersfield was up 12.2%. The state average was was up 6.5%. RevPAR for the three local metro area were all up, with Fresno at 1.6%,Visalia at 2.4% and Bakersfield at 18.5%.
Bakersfield likes to shop, with this community being the most important source for customers visiting the Tulare Outlet Mall according to a recent report given to the Visalia City Council. This 226,000-square-foot outlet mall anchored by a Polo Ralph Lauren Factory store with other brand name soft goods outlets reported to have maintained a 98 percent occupancy rate since opening in 1995 in northeast Tulare. The primary trade area encompasses 30-miles.”The center receives greater support from residents in the Bakersfield area (approximately 71 percent of visitation) than the Fresno area (approximately 19 percent of visitation)“ says the report.
Water customers in Visalia have reduced their consumption of water in the past few years but in order for private purveyor CalWater to come out on the deal,they have applied to the PUC to increase water rates phased-in over 3 years.The typical residential customer’s monthly bill would increase by $4.37 or 14.3% in 2014, followed by additional increases of $4.93 or 14.1% in 2015, and $0.91 or 2.3% in 2016 according to their filing. Most costs of operating the water system are fixed, regardless of the level of usage. “With lower water usage in your area, rates then have to be increased to cover these fixed costs” reasons CalWater.