In the world of development, the modus operandi usually points toward not saying a word until the lease is signed and the group responsible for the lease, or the business itself, is ready to officially announce it.

 

That may not sound like much, but sometime the cat getting out of the bag results in the cat’s death. If you do not believe it, I will tell you a quick story before getting to the heart of the blog.

 

Back around the start of mid-1990s (I think) when it was located on Thompson Drive and called Bridgeport City Hall, I attended a Council meeting when still relatively new City Manager Harold Weiler was leading what was a short session.

 

As he wrapped things up, he told Council, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Meadowbrook Mall is getting a Proffitt’s.” He talked about it for a few minutes as I vigorously took notes and put it into print the next day. Weiler, the city’s first city manager, told me it was a “done deal” and the story was picked up by the local television stations.

 

Apparently, it was not a done deal. I cannot say with 100 percent certainty, but I am fairly certain, the exposure killed the deal. I do know for sure the information that was released was not supposed to. And I think we all know Proffitt’s, which would have been an anchor store, never showed up.

 

Why do I mention this? Because there is a slew of businesses that are going to be opening up in Bridgeport. You will likely hear about them starting in the next several months, and even likely the next several years.

 

How many? As for the first batch, there is a potential for 19 businesses. Whether they are all national, regional, local, or a mix of all is not known. What is known is that they are coming.

 

Where? You have probably figured it out. It will be at Charles Pointe Crossing, the home to the soon-to-be open Menards and dozens of flat acres of land just off Interstate 79.

 

“I guess you could call what we have are leases in progress,” said Executive Director of Development for Genesis Partners (the developers of Charles Pointe) Mark Dellana. “Going from a letter of intent to a lease, right now, we are at 19.”

 

Whether that means all 19 will show up is unknown. But businesses are coming. If anyone has ever been to a plaza anchored by a Menards, you know the parcels around them fill out quickly – including businesses that seem to follow them everywhere.

 

Knowing Dellana would not – and could not – divulge what the group partnering them with in landing clients (Interstate Commercial Real Estate Services), I asked for a genre of what to expect.

 

“I think you can expect to see everything from fast casual dining to ladies ready to wear in the trade industry (LRTW), shoe stores, restaurants above fast casual, and more,” said Dellana.

 

He also said the first businesses will be located on “the front 25.” That is the acreage you see on the right as you enter into Charles Pointe Crossing as Menards comes into a slightly distant view.

 

Here is the thing. There is a decent chance you may see a Mexican and Italian restaurant. You may see a carwash. There is a chance at a hotel or even a bank may show up in the years ahead. We do know that Mon General is opening up a minimum of a $25 million medical facility on site.

 

I mention those scenarios because, without fail, whatever business comes there will be complaints. Bridgeport, a city of 9,000 that produced more than $100 million in development last year, did not do good enough in some eyes.

 

For someone who swims in the occasionally foul social media waters daily, there were individuals bumfuzzled that Bridgeport did not bring in a grocery store. They could not understand the need for a certain type of restaurant. Could not understand why Meadowbrook Mall let in a genre of a retail business they already have.

 

Sure, I get it. Some folks just voice what they would like to see, or hope will come. I would certainly like to see certain things too and things for which I really am not too excited.

 

What I would never do is bash any developer  for bringing a business in – national, regional, or local. I would not bash the City of Bridgeport (and I definitely would not bash the new business itself) when it comes to development – and it happens on almost every business story we run.

 

A city’s responsibility when it comes to development is to make what is inside its municipal borders attractive for development. The fact the city had well over $100 million last year says they are doing more than a respectable job. They are knocking it out of the park.

 

And for the record, if the city or any developer in Bridgeport could get a grocery store to open here, it would have happened. And for the record, if one happens to open at Charles Pointe Crossing, I can assure you that it will draw complaints because it is not a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe’s or another outlet that require a demographic profile Bridgeport comes nowhere near meeting (Yes, I am aware there are probably a few exceptions to that).

 

Developers bring in business. And no developer in their right mind is going to turn down a business because there are “too many” or “we don’t need them” or “there’s one in Clarksburg” on social media posts. Be thankful to any business, particularly a small one such as an ethnic restaurant, wanting to invest in your community. There are cities many times the size of Bridgeport that would do just about anything to have the development numbers Bridgeport sees annually.

 

It should be noted that in the millions of clicks and thousands of comments, it is usually a small percentage. That small percentage, however, always comments and always knocks someone’s investment.

 

One small business owner, a Bridgeport resident, told me a few years ago how sad they were to see so many belittle what he wanted to be a success. In reality, it was just a few vocal complainers and several others that liked or responded ot their comments - probably a few dozen out of thousands of clicks, which made I told the person and it made him feel a bit better.

 

The big businesses? The could probably care less.

 

Take no umbrage if you are not excited by a certain business and comment about. The same should be said when someone comments on what they would like to see instead. And you should probably take no umbrage even if you are a regular complainer; development is a hard game to understand. Bridgeport, the numbers show, is clearly winning that game.

 

I digress. I truly hope most will do what they usually do and welcome whatever comes to Charles Pointe Crossing with open arms.

 

When will that happen?

 

“I’d like to think you may start seeing the activity by the end of May. Once one goes public, they start bouncing off one another. Menards opening is the catalyst for it all,” Dellana said. “This is the most activity we’ve dealt with since I’ve been here, and these are exciting times.”

 

Indeed, they are.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the Menards sign and the Interstate group's sign near the main entrance to Charles Pointe Crossing, while Mark Dellana is shown in the second photo. Bottom photo is of the front of Menards.