The main topic of discussion was color. As in color of a building when the board of the Boulder City Redevelopment Agency (aka the city council) met two weeks ago.
Same faces but meeting under a different name and for a very specific purpose: To approve or deny applications for redevelopment funds for work done on buildings in the city’s redevelopment zone, which is basically the downtown corridor but that also extends all the way up Arizona Street to Utah, and west past where Nevada Way becomes Boulder City Parkway. As is typical in these meetings, all of the requests were approved, but this time, it was not without some fireworks.
Pink ones
At issue is the old 7-11 building on Nevada Way. After first buying the old Little City Grille building in 2023, Boulder City PB Holdings LLC (part of the Seigel Group, which owns extended-stay motels and retail businesses across several states) said they would turn that small building into a Pink Box Donuts location. However, by early 2024, that plan had changed and the same group purchased the old 7-11, which lies west of the other building at 849 Nevada Way and announced they would open Pink Box in the larger location instead. A “coming soon” sign has been out in front of the still-empty building for about a year and a half.
With a promise that they hope to open the location by the end of 2025, PB Holdings is seeking RDA funding to redevelop the property. Economic Development Coordinator Raffi Festekjian laid out the request saying, “Boulder City PB Holdings LLC is proposing to invest approximately $325,000 for eligible improvements, which include things such as exterior painting, exterior lighting, landscaping, ADA compliance, parking lot improvements, and signage. If approved this evening, the applicants could receive up to 30% reimbursement on eligible items totaling $97,615. Their goal is to open their doors to our community by the end of this year.”
The buzzkill was provided by Redevelopment Agency board member Steve Walton.
“So let me preface my comments with some statements and context, lest I be called a donut hater or somebody who doesn’t like bright and cheerful colors,” he began.
“Like, no thanks”
“I couldn’t state it more emphatically how inconsistent this is with the Art Deco theme of especially the downtown area,” Walton went on to say. “I look at this and think, ‘Wow, that’s not Boulder City.’ I appreciate the corporate logo and marketing and imaging, but it it’s almost like saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to paint your car pink and I want you to pay for it.’ Like, no thanks. I’m not interested in the design and therefore any funding toward the design.”
Denise Ashurst chimed in that her 4-year-old granddaughter might disagree with Walton’s assessment before also asking if there might be another design option that was a bit more, “vintage.”
Mike Curts, vice president of construction for Amazing Brands (the food and beverage part of Seigel) and representing the Seigel Group said, “The building is white and pink. There’s sprinkles on the building. There’s a donut arch on the outside that you walk through.
“This is not the first time we’re trying this at a location. Several other locations have similar-type features and it’s part of our brand. We’re not looking to be a bakery shop, very boring colors. We want that fun excitement when you come in. Whether you’re driving by or you’re coming into the shop, everywhere you look, we want it to be exciting. We want smiles. We want you to be excited about about the donuts.”
Walton remained unconvinced.
“Now, if there’s any latitude to make it less shocking to our community, I might be more easily persuaded, but the way it stands, take it for what it’s worth, right? I’m one person, although I do have constituents and I like an apple fritter now and then. I just do not see how this fits with our community leading into the historic district. This building was vacant, but there are certainly worse. So if we were to pick by priority, if we had a wish list, this would have been probably lower on the list than others. I’m really not interested in changing the face of Boulder City with that.”
After Mayor Joe Hardy (serving as head of the RDA board) pointed out that the old 7-11 did not have a vintage look either, talk moved to a compromise that would still fit in with Pink Box’s marketing image. In the end, it was suggested and the developer agreed that, as part of the RDA funding (which the company claims is needed in order to make the return on investment worthwhile), they would agree that, if Seigel were to sell off or rent out the property for something other than a Pink Box, they would repaint it in a more neutral color.
The funding was approved along with two other requests from St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church. The church was seeking funding to rehabilitate the old Lend A Hand building, which they intend to convert into a community wellness center and for the church itself in order to improve access and ADA compliance.