Suburbs

When a forest is eliminated from the landscape on a well-traveled road, it draws questions from why to what is going there.

Such is the case with the property on the south side of Wolf River Boulevard east of Riverdale Road in Germantown.

What was once significant woodlands on the road frontage is now a cleared space where you can see almost to the neighborhoods behind the site. And the stark change to the land — part of the Fulmer property — sure drew queries about the suddenly wide-open view of the land.

The work first came to our attention in September when reporter Abigail Warren answered the question about the sudden change in the view to the area. Yep. The land was clear-cut. Smoothed out. Prepped for something other than the timber that occupied the property so many years.

Earlier this week Warren explained the property was destined for medical office buildings — an infill of the Germantown corridor that has become the destination for all kinds of physicians.

Urologists. Heart doctors. Eye doctors. Gastro guys. Cancer clinics. Orthopedic physicians.

I know this because at my age I visit a number of these facilities. For that reason and others, I admire that Germantown — many years ago — decided to make Wolf River Boulevard its medical row.

Look, I get it. I’m not a big fan of a forest turning into the wide-open space where everything is gone and developers start from a blank canvas. I like a nice grove of trees much more than an cleared parcel.

I also think Wolf River Boulevard is a prime location for medical facilities. And the extension of the concept to the west makes sense.

The plan by Twin Bridges Investment to plop a pair of 54,000-square-foot office buildings on the site. That certainly is in keeping with the character of the corridor. It is a main thoroughfare. Divided with a median. With apartments, businesses, restaurants and hotels filling out the stretch.

Warren reported traffic counts are about 24,000 cars a day along that stretch of Wolf River Boulevard. That means a lot of people are seeing the changes to the property every day — and asking questions about its future.

I will add that while I am fine with the office buildings along the Wolf River Boulevard side, I would like to ask the owners of the Fulmer property to not go any farther with selling off parts of the land. It is kind of nice to have that wide-open area in the middle of suburbia with trees and land for livestock to roam.

And now that people know what is planned for the site, I only have one question: Will the new offices provide a convenience for a specialist to treat the next aging malady I face? - Suburbs editor Clay Bailey

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