North Side Neighbors Oppose New Chicken Restaurant
Community gardeners want more healthy options
Who knew that a proposed Church’s
Chicken on busy North Avenue could be so controversial? The site of the
fast-food outlet, located on the corner of 17th Street and North
Avenue, has been home to a series of fast-food businesses since the
early 1980s.
Site owner Amjad Tufail wants to lease the currently unused space to Church’s Chicken, which occupied the building once before. “They are part of a big chain,” Tufail said. “They are bringing in $300,000 to $400,000 in investment, and 20 to 30 jobs, which will help the neighborhood a lot.”
The problem, some neighbors say, is that there are
too many fast-food restaurants in the neighborhood right now. About 80%
of all restaurants in the area are fast-food or convenience stores, and
these residents say they want more healthy options.
Leading
the charge is Sharon Adams, who runs the Walnut Way Conservation Corp.,
a community garden and resource center. The group’s headquarters and
lush gardens are located behind the proposed Church’s Chicken. An
alley and a bright mural painting separate the two properties.
Adams
said that while she would like to see a busy commercial district built
up on that stretch of North Avenue, one more fast-food place would not
help the neighborhood become more economically diverse and
self-sustaining. “It’s
too much,” Adams said. “We have a high, high concentration of fast food
in this neighborhood. We are working to create an opportunity rich
district.”
Adams argued that Church’s Chicken would not be a good match for the up-and-coming neighborhood, which has seen a steady increase in home ownership and investment.
“We
really see ourselves restoring this to a traditional Main Street
neighborhood,” Adams said. Young Kim, executive director of the Fondy
Food Center, also opposes the lease of the property to Church’s
Chicken.
“If the only option is fast food, that’s a problem,”
said Kim, whose office is located in the Walnut Way building. But
Tufail argued that Church’s Chicken offers vegetables and other
healthier options for diners.
“It’s the customer’s choice,”
Tufail said. Tufail said that Adams’ opposition to Church’s Chicken is
more personal, and claims that she and her husband approached him
earlier this year about leasing or buying the property to develop a
restaurant.
“The deal didn’t go through,” Tufail said. “The
only reason they oppose this is because I didn’t lease them the
property.” Adams said she did speak with Tufail about his plans for the
vacant property, but that she did not intend to purchase or lease it
personally. “We had explored that on behalf of Walnut Way,” Adams said.
Walnut Way and its supporters will hold a vigil at 6 p.m. on Thursday,
Sept. 11, at the corner of 17th Street and North Avenue.
The Board of Zoning Appeals will make its final decision on the Church’s Chicken permit on Sept. 18.
What’s your take? Write: editor@shepex.com or comment on this story online at www.expressmilwaukee.com.
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