I am certain we have all heard of the new GREEN MOVEMENT that will eliminate the use of all fossil fuels, this includes all fuels that use oil, natural gas and coal. That would make our transportation dependent on sun and wind primarily and cancel +90% of the fuel we currently use to drive our cars and trucks, fly planes and create a thousand other products we use every day. We have even been told that unless we do this in 12 years the entire planet will be destroyed (I would like to see the research that proves this). I know you are thinking about now what does this do with real estate – be patient.
In spite of the above I see the construction and opening of new modern convenience stores that cost millions to build. There is a new one under construction on Louisville Ave., a new one coming to 165N, a new one at Cheniere Exit off I-20, another new one at Cypress and Well Road, and in Ruston a new one to be built at Farmerville Hwy. and I-20.
Why would these successful businessmen invest millions if the world were going Green and no longer needed fossil fuels? To get the answer I asked a successful convenience store owner/developer why he was still spending millions to build fossil fuel selling convenience stores. Were the new electric cars and trucks hurting his sale of fossil fuel i.e. gasoline and diesel? His answer was “no” he had not seen any effect from the electric car movement. Then I did some research and discovered the reason behind his answer.
Electric vehicles have never caught the imagination of the American public. In addition to reliability issues there are the more practical considerations. All electric vehicles have a limited range and then must be re-charged – but where? Even the new batteries with the latest technology must be replaced at a considerable expense. Finally I recently read a report that in Northern States the extreme cold shortened the range and reportedly resulted in some cases dead batteries.
So while California and Florida may not have dead batteries caused by the cold weather the rest of the nation is skeptical of the battery power.
ON THE LOCAL SCENE
The former DEBBIE’S SCHOOL OF DANCE 212 Stella Street West Monroe has sold for $220,000. The 3,684 sf building sold for $59.71 psf.
The WAREHOUSE BUILDING at 8,500 Frontage Road, Monroe has sold for $390,000. The 12,132 sf building sold for $32.14 psf.
—Bill Roark
***PUBLISHED in the Ouachita Citizen on February 21, 2019***