Bike Shop

To the best of my knowledge, there are only two shops in Topeka where you can buy and get bicycles repaired. One is near 29th Street and Topeka Boulevard and the other is on Lane Street near Washburn University (WU).

The bike shop near WU just happened to be on my daily route to work before I retired. I don’t think I have ever been in this bike shop, but I’ve had many conversations about it.

I’m referring to the College Hill apartment development project. I remember before it was built, the developers were unsuccessful at buying all the existing property in the area to proceed. The city was anxious to help them by, as I recall, giving them a sweetheart tax deal. So, the developers went to the city to help them obtain the remaining properties for their development.

The city used eminent domain, a legal tool that compels property owners to sell it to the government entity so they can complete something that will benefit the entire community. In the past, eminent domain was used to build things like new roads or parks. For example, building a bridge across a river may only be practical at a few points on the river and the benefit to the community of using that bridge has to be balanced with the property owners desire not to have his property split with a road.

In the case of the College Hill apartments, the city argued that this new development would provide significant community benefit and, as such, they should compel these owners to sell.

The remaining owners all accepted the generous monetary offer for their property except for one, the bike shop. The bike shop argued in court that the apartment complex was an economic good and not a community good. Eventually, the city and the developer adjusted their development plans around the bike shop and dropped their eminent domain claim.  Today, when you drive up Lane Street, you’ll see the consistency of the apartment complex interrupted by the singular bike shop.

A lot of people I worked with also drove by that area daily or were informed of the legal battle, so discussions ensued. Most people agreed with the city’s position that they should be able to force the bike shop to sell for the new apartment development. I did not.

My opinion was that using eminent domain, in this case, was a slippery slope toward allowing cities to do what they want with anyone’s property. For example, a candidate for mayor could have his property seized for a new lemonade stand by the incumbent mayor.

“Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:8-18 ESV

People are sin-filled and regardless of good intentions, should be protected from government overreach. Yes, I was happy with the decision.