Small Town News - Walgreens Wrap Up

Previously on Small Town News

Land Swap Petition

Background

In 2004, our town voted to give the selectmen the power to swap the parcel of land owned by the town for the parcel that was adjacent to the town hall. This was accomplished in conjunction with the then owners of that parcel. So, looking at the town map, the town owns the piece that the Walgreens would be built on, and would then swap it for the piece that would become the parking for Walgreens. Walgreens would then have an easement on the property. In addition, the town would receive $100,000.

Possible Contentions

Pro Land Swap:

1. It has already been approved.
2. The value of the completed parking lot is $484,000 compared to the current property value of $280,000. Most of the parking can be used as municipal parking.
3. Assures the town gets a pharmacy.
4. Town hall will not be harmed.
5. The town gets $100,000.

Anti Land Swap:

1. Why is the rewording of the land swap contract not available to the public prior to the vote?
2. Is it true that Turnpike Properties has threatened to sue the town if the land swap is voted down?
3. Has the town ever dealt with Walgreens directly or come to know their requirements?
4. Walgreens would have to maintain the parking lot for their operation anyhow, so it is not an outright financial benefit for the town. Also, the number of parking spaces is required for their business, and cannot be deemed municipal parking.
5. The land swap is a major subsidy for this business to come into town.
6. The town wants more control over the land swap.

Land Swap Town Meeting

A town meeting was called by the selectmen to discuss the land swap. It was run by Joe, our first selectman, and he was assisted by our town lawyer. About 90 citizens attended. They reviewed the basics of the swap (see bullet points above) and explained that no contract was available because it took so long to get feedback from the concerned parties and they didn’t want opinions on drafts circulating (read: gossip). The town lawyer said that she did not think that Turnpike Properties would sue the town.

The meeting quickly devolved into a “what is wrong with our town” discussion.

One of the citizens’ group’s members stood and said that her Elm Street house’s value had dropped by 20% just since the approval of the Cumberland Farms and Walgreens Pharmacy projects. Joe looked her in the eye sympathetically, and said, “Tell me what you want me to do.”

She replied, “I want you to promise me that you will accept a more historically sensitive design from a team of objective architects.” (In other words, not these trouble maker ones we have in town.)

Joe looked tired and beaten, but he agreed in public to go along.

He fell right into our plan. But, the vote was scheduled in just two weeks time. We had to work quickly to make it all happen.

Walgreens Redesign

As part of three meetings, a small group of three out of town architects, working pro bono and led by the citizens’ group retiree, came up with the following suggestions and a drawing based on another pharmacy in our state:

1. The Corner/Entry Element could be inspired by the Southbury Model, and, especially, the corner element at the Elementary School.
2. Incorporating some brick helps to gravitate away from a residential appearance. We recommend the Entry Elements + Arcades be brick. (The brick should be standard size, preferably molded and a color different from the Town Hall.) The main body of the building could be painted brick (like the back of Liberty Bank) or Handiplank.
3. The Entry Element should be an open pavilion for its full height. (Its position should be as shown on the plan, NOT at 45 deg angle as the Southbury Model)
4. A simple but significant cornice might be used to finish the top of the wall.
5. We recommend that brick paving (to match the brick at Adam’s Shopping Center sitting area) extend under the Arcade and out to meet the sidewalk.
6. Lowering the slope of the roofed element over the Arcade to 3 or 4:12 and lowering the bottom of the eave to 10’ will aid the proportions and scale.
7. We suggest a bulletin board in a niche centered on the southernmost arcade termination Pavilion.
8. Recommend deleting the sloped roof on the canopy at the Drive Through. We assume that the canopy cantilever will be reduced with only (1) drive through.
9. On the North Façade, locate the terminating Pavilion centered on the doors. Delete the Arcade beyond the Pavilion.
10. The color scheme should contrast with that of the Adams complex.
11. We suggest that signage be mounted on wood panels.
12. 

Southbury Model

Old design (top) / New design (bottom), click to enlarge

This redesign was forwarded to the Turnpike properties architect and Joe prior to the land swap vote. Word was that Turnpike Properties indicated that the plan was doable and they would present the changes to the Planning & Zoning in the fall.

The Land Swap Vote

It rained the day of the land swap vote. I decided to vote against the swap because I am just so tired of all of the bullshit in our town. The planned ugly new development, unsafe new gas stations, our stupid P&Z, our first selectman who jerks us around and after 17 years just needs to go. I have just had enough. Plus, I think the town would do much better to just sell the land and take the cash. So, I voted against the swap. The remainder of our citizens’ group was to take the stance that since Turnpike Properties had accepted our design; we were going to vote for the swap. “A win-win for the town.” Yippee!

Sadly, I was in the minority. Of the 700 or so people voting, it was about 3 to 1 in favor of the swap. The elderly turned out in droves to support getting a pharmacy in town. So, I guess we are getting a new pharmacy. It remains to be seen what it will look like. Will it be brick and look like the redesign? Or will it look like the crappy Adams across the street?

The Press

Meanwhile, our citizens’ group has suffered in the press, especially in editorials. To wit:

Concern Growing in Town

To the Editor:

Sean Fairview and the citizens’ group is leading the townspeople down a long slippery slope. The petition to hold another vote on the approved land swap filed by this small group of 20 people indicates that they believe their vision of our town is preferable to those of us who voted and passed the land swap by a margin of 2-1 over a year and a half ago…

It then continues in that venomous attacking tone about how we are spending their tax dollars, causing Turnpike Properties to sue, and all that jazz. Moreover, the attack is personal. By the way, it was written by the husband of the P&Z zoning enforcement officer. We do live in a small town. After that editorial came out, a response was written reiterating how the group’s goals are the same as the town’s, signed by myself and others, and Sean was retired from the forefront for a while so others from our group could take the heat.

Small Town News - Walgreens Pharmacy - Public Hearing Part 2

The continuation of the public hearing was called to order at 7:12 pm by the P&Z Chair. The applicant, Turnpike Properties, presented some changes made in response to last week’s comments. These included removing parking from the town hall lawn, removing the four street parking spaces, widening the entrance from 15 feet to 25 feet to allow easier truck egress, and addition of handicap ramps.

Ten letters opposing the application for various reasons were read into the record. One of them was from the Town’s Merchants Association opposing the application.

Public Comments:

A professor from the University of Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis who had provided data for two major state projects made the following points:

1. A letter from the Merchants Association indicates that everything Walgreens will offer is already available in town except for prescription drugs. The new Walgreens will compete directly for sales with other stores in town, as well as with other towns. People often make a decision based of distance of travel.

2. Net impact needs to be calculated when bringing in new development. The need for government services, such as fire equipment will increase. If traffic on Elm Street is increased, it will reduce the property values of the residences there.

3. A decision would have long term implications if successful at the proposed scale. A 10,000 square foot building is a substantial size store. A pharmacy could be 7,000 square feet. The size would have a significant demand to the core area. Traffic controls may be increased. He noted that it was important for towns to have an updated plan of development.

A P&Z commissioner asked the professor if he was a resident of the town, if he was an expert, and if he was being paid and if so by whom. He responded that he was a resident of another town in the state; he was present as an expert witness on a pro bono basis by the request of one of the members of the citizens’ group.

The adjacent property owner on Elm Street mentioned some concerns along with saying that he thought that approval was in the best interest of the town. Specifically, his concern was for HVAC equipment noise and protection of property values.

Another town resident was in favor of a drug store, but did not feel that the design of the store as presented was a fit with our town or town hall.

One of the selectmen, and a former CVS pharmacist for 18 years, spoke in favor of the pharmacy and noted that it would be most profitable.

Another citizen spoke in favor of the pharmacy, but was concerned for the competition for the other mom and pop stores in town as well as the large parking lot.

Sean read a letter into the record and asked that the application be denied with prejudice.

One resident stood and commented that the streetscape as presented by the applicant did not represent the parking and was not to scale.

Another resident noted that he is in favor of the pharmacy, but questioned the legality of the land swap. The parking lot will be owned by the town and used by the pharmacy. A leasehold agreement should be in place for liability and taxes.

Bobby, a citizens’group member, stated that he is opposed to the plan presented. He read a letter to the commission asking that the application be denied and then submitted a Notice of Intervention (more on this in next week’s post) in connection with the application.

A resident who lives behind the grocery store plaza across from where the pharmacy is to built requested that the P&Z to require a sign regarding truck idling and also no dumpster pickup before 5 AM. He also asked that the P&Z reference state statute with regard to HVAC noise standards.

The architect member of the citizens’ group referenced his letter already read into the record and asked that the roof be lowered. [BTW – his letter was eloquent again, "dummy portals", gotta love it.]

Another selectman, who is a member of the merchants association, said that he did not know about the letter opposing the permit and does not agree with the letter.

Another resident noted that he opposes the big box store/chain harming the flavor of the downtown. The local stores would be impacted negatively such as the hardware store and card shops.

One of the members of the citizens’ group presented slides showing various Walgreens Pharmacies throughout the state illustrating the variations of quality in each town. The point was that our town could get better quality design and building if we bargained for it. Sean showed a photoshopped image of the streetscape as it would look with the Walgreens next to town hall.

The P&Z asked the applicant if two drive thrus were needed.

The attorney for the applicant responded that that was what was specified by the client. He also noted that the HVAC design be reviewed by the Commission engineer to reduce noise and the applicant would agree to meet state noise standards. He noted that the application is a plus for the town and would provide parking at no cost to the town.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:41 pm.

Small Town News - Walgreens Pharmacy - Continued

Citizen Group Strategy Meeting

Our Citizens’ Group meets every now and then to direct the functioning of the group at large. Quite a lot of work goes into opposing applications to the P&Z and coordination is also required. The group has several ad hoc leaders: our member lawyer, Sean, the woman whose house we are at, and our retiree who has worked with historical preservation in Brooklyn Heights.

The Citizens’ Group held a quick strategy meeting about the Walgreens Pharmacy application at one of the member’s houses. The meeting was run by the member lawyer. He predicted that the P&Z would approve the Walgreens application (hardly a revelation) and then outlined our strategy going forward:

1. Appeal grounds: a) Town development plan not updated since 1992 (required every 10 years) – assigned to Sean

b) Finding that special permit will not lower property taxes – assigned to woman

2. Historic preservation angle

a) Contact the National Trust for Historical Preservation which works with pharmacies not to demolish historical buildings – assigned to retiree

b) State Environmental Protection Act now includes intervention to protect the public trust in historic structures. One of the members (Bobby) is doing this and has a pro bono lawyer. This person is automatically an appellant after approval.

c) Involve the State Attorney General (in an extreme case) – assigned to member lawyer

3. Interfere with the Land Swap by getting 20 signatures on a petition to call a town meeting. Vote down swap. – assigned to Sean or member lawyer

A question came up at our meeting. Many of the 200 to 300 members of the citizens’ group are looking for things to do to help. How can we get the message out for them to vote down the land swap? Cross that bridge when we come to it.

P & Z Vote on Walgreens Pharmacy

A motion was made to approve the special permit at 7:10 pm, was seconded and the discussion was opened. The chair recused himself for health reasons and sat to watch while the acting Chair took the reins. Receipt of a petition to revisit the Land Swap deal at a town meeting was noted. Since the petition did not change the status of the swap, the meeting continued.

The Intervenor issues were addressed in a memo from the Zoning Enforcement Officer. (The intervenor himself, Bobby, was sitting in front of me, and I asked him if he had seen any memo and he said that he had not.) From the acting chair’s comments it was evident that she did not understand the point of the intervention and thought it was all a matter of taste rather than preserving something historic. She said, “How could we ever get anyone to agree to one design?”

Some of the public’s questions were answered but so superficially as to be insulting. Correspondence was mentioned, but many times it would be something like, “Oh and so and so wrote a letter but I don’t remember what it said.” Liability for accidents on the shared parking lot was a matter for the Selectmen and Turnpike Properties so not in the P&Z jurisdiction. The new town plan is 80% complete and only needs approval and the Greenways amendment is within 10 years so that is okay too. Many topics were just mentioned; not even answered. Oh, and by the way, 10,000 square feet is not a big box store, it has to be 60-70,000 square feet to be a big box store. The professor that came and spoke pro bono was not a resident and did not present a net impact.

The acting Chair’s tone was arrogant and dismissive. I was disgusted and left before the vote. I could see the way it was going to go.

The permit was approved unanimously with some small changes.

Our bright shiny new pharmacy!

Next…

The Land Swap meeting.

Small Town News - Walgreens Pharmacy - Public Hearing Part 1

Per the local news paper, about 90 residents were still in attendance as the Planning and Zoning meeting continued from the application to the public hearing after a break at 8:40 PM. Correspondence was read into the record. The local architect who is a member of our citizens’ group wrote a letter which reminded the P&Z that as guardians of our town’s future they should set their sights a bit higher. It further described the building as dwarfing those nearby with oversized 34 foot tall corner towers, undersized portals, cheap looking materials and skimpy details. This design is fit for a Route 1 commercial strip next to a gas station, not small scale Main Street of down town adjacent to town hall. Also, it breaks the zoning requirement for no greater than 30 foot length of façade next to town hall. The letter then eloquently ripped the design to shreds architecturally for its crass insensitivity to the times, as the designer slumped in his chair as if having just committed hari-kari. The letter also said that if we go at this negotiation with an, “uh oh, if we ask for that they may cut and run” attitude, we will never find out what they are willing to do for us. We need to find a strategy to preserve our small town character and charm.

Another citizen noted that he wondered how many parking spaces were needed. Would there be a second story addition to town hall. The shopping center and pharmacy across the street line up and will there be the need for another traffic light? What will happen if the shopping center expands and needs more parking? Will the pharmacy portico be used as outdoor retail space as it is across the street? The rental property next to the pharmacy, will it become a bank? Will Turnpike Properties landscape town hall?

Yet another citizen noted that the land swap is very restrictive to town hall expansion and the land should be retained.

Another citizen noted that he has no problem traveling to out of town pharmacies. If parking in town is such a problem, then pave the town’s lot; no swap or building is needed.

A member of the local citizens group stood and made a motion that all citizens be heard and have their questions answered since they were not at the Cumberland Farms hearing. Applause sounded from wall to wall. The chair mentioned that two hearing dates had been set for just this purpose.

He also said that he is 100% opposed to approval. He agreed that we do not need a pharmacy in town. He also thought that only 2 handicapped parking spaces were not adequate. He also wanted to know who would be liable for accidents on the shared property of the parking lot and why the Cumberland Farms traffic was not taken into account in the traffic study. He also wanted access to the land swap documents and he wanted to know where parking for town hall would be in 20 years.

Another citizen shared that we are losing green space in the town center and increasing traffic and cars and emissions. Would an environmental impact study be conducted?

One of the town’s selectmen indicated as a citizen that he thought the town needs a pharmacy.

An elderly female citizen said that some folks need a pharmacy in town for their emergent health conditions when they don’t have a spouse to go for them.

The lawyer from the citizens’ group said that he was hoping that there could be mediation with Walgreens, as they have worked with other towns, to get it right.

Sean read his letter into the record which was signed by three other citizens including myself. The points made in the letter include:

1. A completed and approved Comprehensive Plan for Development for the Town Center must be present. It was begun in 1999 and worked on until 2004, but never finished. It was initially designed to preserve the historical nature of the town.
2. The town’s Plan of Conservation and Development is out of date (required by law to be updated every 10 years).
3. A new vote is needed on the Land Swap. Many things have changed since the original vote in 2004. Details are not currently available to citizens of the town as I found when I went to town hall recently. (Will be covered in a separate post.)
4. Please use the full 60 days allotted to approve this permit and allow the public to respond. A single night disenfranchises the public.

An elderly resident said that the shopping center across the street was using two handicap parking spaces to sell plants (the whole front of the store’s parking is filled with plants this time of year) and that just should not be allowed. There was a round of applause for that sentiment. He mentioned that Veterans’ Memorial Way should be preserved to honor the veterans (the alley next to town hall). He went on to say that our town hall was one of only 6 flatiron town halls in the country, and the only one with an upstairs auditorium. Thus, we should not ruin it by expanding the original design. We should buy the Swan's funeral home for sale down on Main Street and create the offices there. Applause sounded loudly for that.

A former resident of a nearby town, who had just moved to our town, said that there was a similar pharmacy in her old town (see photo below) and come to see it because it is an eyesore and does not fit in with anything else in town. She opposed the building, not the pharmacy and felt that we were owed a better plan.

Another resident, who had just moved in, was worried because she saw so many boarded up windows in town of failed businesses. She worried about her property values and was thinking of moving out. “If we scare away Turnpike Properties, will anybody come?”

Another elderly resident, who is a member of our citizens’ group stood and said that he thinks we need a pharmacy. He would like to know the details of the land swap before we agree and that traffic needs further study as regards Cumberland Farms.

Yet another elderly resident, who is a member of our citizens’ group, stood and said that he established the Brooklyn Heights Historic District and that then the money poured in. The P&Z has the power to decide the fate of downtown going forward into the future and he hoped that they understood the gravity of this task as they considered each decision. He mentioned each project for perspective: Cumberland Farms, Walgreens (He said, “Walgreens store, and I call it that because it is 90% store and not pharmacy.”), and Swans funeral home. “Consideration should be given to preservation of design. It would be a win-win for the town. The project outlined today would result in a net loss for the town. The town’s greatest assets are older buildings and houses and tree lined streets.”

Another resident who is a member of our citizens’ group indicated that a town is people and land. She is not against a pharmacy, but against a big box store across from Cumberland Farms which will increase lights, traffic and noise.

An elderly citizen who is also a veteran really lit up the room when he said that what was on the town’s property used to be a saloon with a whore house upstairs. An elderly woman in the audience screamed, “No it wasn’t!” But the rest of us wondered how he knew it was. [Hmmmm.] Anyhow, he continued to say that historically our town had many pharmacies, stores, movie theaters, until 1968 when the local highway was completed and was nowthe town is at its smallest ever. Development was needed in the center of town to generate business.

A citizen who is a member of our citizens’ group spoke against the proposal calling the new pharmacy a “big box” store at 10,000 square feet of retail space. the P&Z took issue with calling the design a big box store.

Another resident spoke of her concern for children walking in town to and from school through traffic from the new pharmacy’s drive through adjacent to the town hall.

The first selectman spoke as a citizen in favor of the proposal and submitted a petition in favor of the pharmacy project with 200 signatures.

A final citizen spoke about why Cumberland Farms was ignored in the traffic study as well as lack of attention paid to stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks, even when a constable is present.

The chair then noted the late hour and the meeting was adjourned at 11:15 PM. The P&Z instructed that the second day of hearing would not allow a rehash of ideas expressed at this hearing. Stay tuned...

Small Town News - Bluebird Box Trail & Updates

Land Trust Builds Bluebird Box Trail

Our town’s Land Trust is putting together an Eastern Bluebird box trail. The state has donated the wood for construction of nesting boxes. Twenty boxes have been built by our local Girl Scout Troop and more are planned. Land Trust members are assembling the posts and predator guards with materials they have donated, and installing them at proper locations around town. The one pictured is in our local cemetery.

Enlarge photo if you can't see it

Eleven have been installed so far. The next step is to begin a project where towns’ people, including children can adopt a box to monitor and clean throughout the year. That way we will know how many bluebirds we have nesting in our area.

Bluebirds are here in our town, we have all seen them. They visit the blackberry bushes in my yard and must live somewhere close by. We may even put a nesting box near our koi pond and see what happens. We also have other birds that may use the boxes such as tree swallows and wrens. Our neighbors have a box up and a pair of bluebirds nests in it.

Walgreens Pharmacy Update

Today, the First Selectman will break ground on the new Walgreens Pharmacy project with a shovel painted gold. Reportedly the contractor presented the citizens' group's reworked plan to the Planning & Zoning Commission and that is what will be built. I will post photographs of the finished building.

Cumberland Farms Gas Station Update

An impressive list of expert witnesses have been gathered by the citizen's group's lawyer. So much so that the depositions have been postponed by Cumberland Farms. The hearing date to challenge the appellants is in January.

Small Town News - Walgreens Pharmacy - The Application

The Planning and Zoning (P&Z) commission held a meeting in Town Hall to hear an special permit application from Turnpike Properties, also commonly known as Walgreens Pharmacy, to construct a pharmacy with a double drive through facility for prescription service, together with required off street parking. The statement of use reads as follows:

The applicant proposes to construct a retail pharmacy containing approximately 10,000 square feet on the first floor and 3,500 square feet on the second floor or mezzanine level. The plans also call for two drive through windows for prescription service only, and parking spaces, some of which will be located in a common parking area to be used jointly with the Town Hall on land to be owned by the town and known as 180 Main Street. The proposal includes access from both Main Street and Elm Street, together with the other improvements as shown on the accompanying site plan. Proposed signage, elevations, a traffic study and engineering designs are also submitted with this application.

These notes are from both the application meeting and the represented application at the public hearing. The project requires a land swap with the town whereby the applicant will receive the subject property and the town will receive 180 Main Street. The applicant will demolish the building at 180 Main Street and construct a parking lot with 49 spaces. Two driveways are proposed on Main Street and one on Elm Street. Forty-four parking spaces are required for the proposed pharmacy; 49 spaces are proposed, including 42 off-site spaces. Subject to DOT approval, 6 spaces may be located on Main Street in front of the pharmacy. Nine spaces are presently located on Main Street in front of Town Hall and 10 spaces in the grocery store parking lot will be dedicated exclusively to Town Hall use. The pharmacy and the Town Hall will share 49 parking spaces.

Click image to enlarge

A registered architect presented the pharmacy design. The architect stated that the use of traditional materials would give the appearance of wooden slats and the addition of a widows walk was intended to be in keeping with local buildings built in the late 1800’s, and yet similar to the design of the shopping center across the street. [Mmmm, lovely. Sorry, couldn’t restrain myself here.]

Click to enlarge

The parking lot was designed so that it would not be a thoroughfare between Main Street and Elm Street. The buffer has been increased between the drive up kiosk and the neighboring properties.

A traffic study was presented that essentially reported that there would be no impact on local traffic. Of course the Cumberland Farms gas station expansion was not taken into account. (Off the record, the traffic engineer said that the Cumberland Farms thing was a complete disaster from a traffic standpoint.) A project site engineer presented plans indicating that drainage would be better than at present and a registered landscape architect happily presented a plan that would return hardy elms to Elm Street.

A statement of Findings was made available to the P&Z as follows:

1. When approved, the special permit will be in compliance will all zoning regulations
2. The development will be in harmony with the orderly development of the town
3. The proposed use will not depreciate adjacent property values and shall be in harmony with the existing character of the neighborhood.
4. There is adequate access for purpose of fire, police and other emergency protection or equipment.
5. The streets are adequate to carry all prospective traffic; adequate provision is made to for entering and leaving the subject site; adequate off street parking and loading is provided.
6. The landscaping will suitably buffer the adjacent properties.
7. The proposed use had adequate provisions for water and sewage disposal as well as for storm water drainage.

All I could think was, “Geez, it would have been great to have all of this information for Cumberland Farms.” We would have if it was a special permit.

Next… The public speaks out. But what could anyone possibly have to complain about in this rosy picture?

WE LOST BIG!

UPDATE:

I guess we got overconfident after the Town Hall Addition was defeated so resoundingly. We live in a very small town and about 1800 people voted. For all of the town's positions, the votes were about 1050 to 750 in our opponent's favor. We were all caught off guard by the loss.

This was our first time running a campaign and was our experiment in democracy and forming a party. We had a great time and I met lots of neat people who were very dedicated to making a change for the better in our town. We did get a third Selectman in. Now he has to sit there with the two incumbents and be in the minority. We have vowed to be there and support him. I am sure we will.

The fight continues to protect our town from going to hell in a handbasket. Unfortunately, the government stays the same, and now it will have the same first selectman for 20 some odd years, or grows in incestuousness. We just heard that a new position has been formed for the sister of the second selectman who has just been elected to serve for his 18th year.

The people of our small town are just not ready for change. To a large extent they continue to be uninformed of the issues and satisfied with the status quo. They will stay with a government that has given them one of the 5 the lowest credit rated of all the towns in the state, a Planning & Zoning Commission that has broken the law on the gas station proposal, proposed a $3 MM addition to Town Hall that was rejected, a $3.7 MM addition to the firehouse that will come up for a vote in November, is currently building a huge ugly Walgreens on Main Street, proposed a horse crematorium, has approved a large 200 per day ton rollover waste facility for construction garbage from all over the state (soon to be increased to 5oo tons), and our major money earner is a sewage treatment plant that processes sewage from other towns. Frankly, our quaint little berg earns its money from taking garbage and sewage from all over the state.


We sought to find a better way for our town, but not enough people heard us. We fought the good fight. Maybe this explains the problem with the USA today. Not enough people are informed of the issues. Apathy rules the day. George Bush is President for two terms. I think I understand now how he won.

Back to the hot guys.