Saratoga News Photograph by Steve Enders Most shoppers, tenants are trying to grin and bear the construction work at Argonaut. Tenants, customers patient with Argonaut construction By Steve Enders Stores in the Argonaut Shopping Center are barely visible from Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road through the skeletons of new buildings, tangled machinery and workers' trucks that are dominating the parking lot. Most business owners hoping to cash in on the busy holiday season think they came up a bit short, and the already frayed nerves of shoppers were tested even further because of ongoing loud and sometimes messy construction. Despite the troubles at the center, which is undergoing a massive facelift, most are holding out to see what happens once the construction is finished. "I think their timing could have been better," Saratoga resident and shopper Nick Marafino said. "Parking's a problem; it's a disruption; it's depressing. Everybody says it's too bad they didn't wait. But hopefully when they're done it'll be something special." It should be, according to Mollie Choate, vice president of operations for Willis & Co., the center's property manager, who is overseeing construction. According to plans, the entire shopping center is being renovated. Safeway is growing, and new stores coming include Blockbuster and Starbucks. Choate said the managers, as well as the owners of the center--Argonaut Associates--know that the tenants and customers are enduring hard times now, but she says everyone is trying to make sure the renovation goes as smoothly as possible. Choate said that construction is right on schedule, and should be completed by early this summer. Managers of stores in the center have had frustrations, but they remain optimistic about their businesses after the renovation is complete. Nearly all the center's tenants are pleased with how the property manager, the construction crews and owners have dealt with the change. Ray Kalman, owner of Travel Management Corporation Vacation Center, said his business has slid since construction started, but he's looking forward to his new location--two doors down from Starbucks, which he thinks will bring more foot traffic. "We seem to be right in the crux of what's going on. There's a massive amount of construction right now," Kalman said. He said that the construction company, ACG Construction, has been very cooperative with his employees by giving daily updates on work to be done around his office. Longs Drugstore manager Bill Drewes has seen business slip. "I'm blaming it on the construction," he said. "My customer count is down; parking is a problem since they've cut the lot down so much. Customers have complained--they don't like the inconvenience. But I'm hoping business will come back." He also complimented the construction crews, saying that they've been good to work with At least one business owner, however, isn't so thrilled about all the construction. Par Mundra, owner of Par's Pet Center, said she only made $12 during the entire month of December, which would normally be a busy time of year for her store. She's upset with the construction workers, who she said don't keep her informed of work to be done near her store. She said that some work has prevented her from opening her store, and claims a number of other tenants have left the shopping center because of rent increases and business lost during construction. Mollie Choate discounted Mundra's charges, noting that the two parties have been at odds over many different issues even before construction began. As for rent increases, Ray Kalman said he's searched the area for cheaper rent, and hasn't found a better deal than what he's getting at Argonaut, especially when the new look the building's getting is factored in. "Rents are high everywhere," he said. "My rent is doubling, but it's going to pay itself off." [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, January 13, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.