By Chris Mac Kenzie
For The Alpine Sun
     ALPINE — “There's not a grain of truth in it,” said Gina St. Aubin, the property manager for Westcore Properties which owns the Alpine Creek Shopping Center.
     “We have absolutely no plans to tear down the present buildings and put up condos. We are not in the residential property business, only commercial sites. Alpine Creek Center is zoned commercial and would not be good for residential use.”
     So much for the rampant rumors circulating around town. No condos will be built across from the future fire station on Tavern Road.
     Instead, Westcore Properties, whose main interest is in developing and managing attractive malls, plans an extensive overhaul and rebuilding to upgrade the property now 25 years old and beginning to show its age. “We have already hired an architect to plan for that and make it more attractive architecturally, “ said Chris Stai, who handles all the leasing contracts. “We are trying to create a place that Alpine folks can enjoy and be proud of.”
     The rumors are believed to have started when DeeAnn's Hallmark Shop announced that it was going out of business by the end of March when their lease expires. Its owners, Dennis and Joanne Turk complain that they could not afford to stay open because of the high cost of a raise in the rent and a short one-year lease. “I must order stock almost a year ahead — like right now I would be ordering for Christmas — and I would not dare do that with a one year lease. “ said Turk, who had planned to sell the business before the problem began. The prospective new owner had also backed out under those terms.
     Stai explained that Turk wanted a 55 cents a foot rate, well below market, and a five-year lease. Westcore offered him $1 a foot with a one-lease lease.
     According to Stai, the rate for shops in the Alpine Creek Center varies by size, location and type of business but averages out to between $1.35 and $1.75.
     “That is well below the current market rate at this time. For instance, Albertsons asks an average of $3.50 a foot, and I understand that the space in their new project on Alpine Boulevard is already sold out.”
     Both managers stated that they are dealing with shop owners on an individual basis as leases expire in order to operate the property under current standards.

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