Lester and Colleen Cordle are voicing their concerns about a laundromat coming to their community in northern Walker County.Northern Walker County resident David Roden is concerned about a laundromat coming into his community.
Over the past year Roden has voiced concerns about burned out buildings in the neighborhood on the outside of the city limits of Rossville. At the intersection of James Street and Wilson Road one building was leveled to make way for the laundromat which will be made of block.
Walker County Planning Commission unanimously approved the laundromat construction in a meeting April 14 on first reading. The second reading will be at Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell’s meeting April 28th at 3 p.m. at her office.
“Is this the best use for our neighborhood,” asked Roden, who owns Mountain View Estates in the Rossville area. “Part of the consensus of the 120 concerned citizens at a recent meeting was the No. 1 issue on Wilson Road is crime. We feel it will be a detriment to our community.”
According to Walker County Planning Commission member Kristy Parker, the current laundromat on McFarland Avenue has had two thefts since 2012. However, from 2012-2015 Rossville Self-Storage has had 17 thefts. The Rossville apartments have had 32. Fairlane Oaks Mobile Home Park has had 54. Mountain View Estates has had six, and two thefts occurred at an apartment owned by Mr. Potter on James Street. So, she said, she noticed that the laundromat actually had the least amount of thefts in the Rossville zip code area.
“In the last 15 months we’ve had 423 visits by the sheriff and 428 visits by the fire department,” said Roden. “Our area is covered up with crime. We have approached the sheriff. We have no sidewalks and street lighting. It is very dangerous to go into convenient stores on James Street at night. The homeowners would like more home ownership than weekly rentals. It is growing rampant with crime.”
According to resident Colleen Cordle, her mobile home faces Wilson Road. She would not walk that road at night
“A lot of family issues [take place] on that road,” said Colleen Cordle. “Something that we know would open and close at a certain time would be better. I don’t feel like a laundromat is a safe alternative.”
Walker County Planning Commission said the laundromat hours would be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and it must have adequate lighting.
“Obviously they are concerned about safety,” said Dennis M. King Enterprises owner Dennis King, who plans to build the laundromat similar to the one he operates in LaFayette. “We want to help the community grow. We want to build it back up. We are trying to get something in there nice and new.”
Dennis M. King Enterprises construction project engineer Charlie Lamar will oversee the construction of cut face block with store front windows and doors. The store will have a couple of benches to sit on out front as well.
“I’ve built nine laundromats,” said Dennis King. “I own the one in LaFayette that sits next to the McDonald’s. It is brick with a barber shop on the front and the laundromat in the back. We would like a salon or barber shop in this one too.”
King said video cameras will be installed at the laundromat in the Rossville area. He will be able to pull up 24 hour footage on his iPhone.
“We want to grow the area,” said King. “When you build new it pushes crime out. It will be a benefit to the community.”
According to Charlie Lamar, all of Dennis M. King’s laundromat investments are properly maintained after being built.
“This is going to be new construction and we hope it will be a catalyst to motivate other businesses to come in,” said Lamar.
According to King, the laundromat will span 2,700 square feet. If it is the same as the LaFayette one, then it will have 18 dryers and 20 washers inside it. The building land and equipment costs total $500,000.
“We are putting a lot of money in the store and making it nice,” said King, adding it will be well-lit for safety.
The business, if approved on second reading, will be at 701 James Street at the corner of James and Wilson Road.
Colleen Cordle said she would not mind a barber shop or beauty shop moving in, but too many lights might make it hard to sleep at night.