“It will not be possible to extend your lease beyond the end of February as we are making other plans for the spaces you now occupy.”
Obviously, at that time, they had already made arrangements with Jesse Cool to open her restaurant at Allied Arts in the space used by Palo Alto for 75 years. Coblentz later rationalized this act as a “necessary pruning” of “unprofitable tenants.” Apparently Jesse Cool couldn’t make a profit either, so who’s next Ms. Coblentz? McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell?
If Woodside-Atherton had done a better job of bringing visitors to the Allied Arts complex, they would have had many “profitable” tenants. But they didn’t. They killed bus traffic for tours to Allied Arts by redoing the parking lot so buses couldn’t turn around. They mismanaged the “special event” business (weddings and other private events that Palo Alto had been forced to give to them under the terms of a lease signed after the property was renovated) to the extent that it became nonexistent. They never recognized that they needed to increase foot-traffic on site in order for all tenants to prosper, or if it was recognized, efforts were ineffective.
Please, Allied Arts Auxiliary members, stop stating that Palo Alto voluntarily closed their restaurant and left the complex. You terminated them. Whatever that loss means to the future of Allied Arts is your responsibility. Stop trying to imply or state otherwise ....... especially you, menlomomx2.
