Link: Style Weekly : Richmond’s alternative for news, arts, culture and opinion.
One of Shockoe Bottom’s most heralded redevelopment projects smells like chicken-wing grease, charges a lawsuit filed two weeks ago.The landlord of Canal Crossing, at 101 S. 15th St., is suing a tenant — the operator of a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant — claiming the persistent smell of grease is seeping into posh neighboring offices and disturbing other tenants.
You can read all the play-by-play details for yourself in the above-referenced link. I just wanted to point out why landlords do (or should) think ahead when allowing a particular business to set up shop in their buildings. I love restaurants, and do a lot of business with restaurants, but even I have to admit that they have an impact on the other tenants in the building — especially a busy and successful restaurant such as Buffalo Wild Wings.
I certainly don’t know the particulars of the case, so I don’t entertain the idea that I know what is exactly going on here (so my comments should not reflect on how the case should be handled).
The key here is: Before you accept a tenant, think about how that business will affect the rest of the tenants in your property. In the same vein, think about how the tenant will affect your property itself. Heavy usage means more wear and tear, which should be reflected in the upfront negotiations — and not brought up as a surprise later.