The debate raged furiously in the city four years ago. Should the city of Suffolk take a piece of land it owned on North Main Street, that had sat vacant for many years, and turn it into a park? Or should it allow the land to be developed into apartments and retail uses?

Those who wanted the park not only advocated for the green space itself but feared increased traffic and more of the same in terms of retail offerings if the development option were chosen.

As everyone knows by now, the city’s original plan survived the controversy. A large apartment complex now towers over the site.

But strictly in terms of the retail offerings on the site, it does appear that the Economic Development Department is heeding citizens’ desires.

The city conducted a survey that got an amazing number of responses — nearly 600 — and citizens were allowed to give open-ended feedback on the things they did and did not want to see there.

The list of undesirables from the survey included fast food, dollar stores, cellphone stores, mattress stores, hair and nail salons, gas stations, auto repair or auto parts stores, check cashing and payday loan businesses, pharmacies and tattoo parlors. All of these businesses proliferate throughout certain other parts of the city and were widely panned among residents who answered the survey.

The things that people said they wanted, meanwhile, included higher-end grocery, chain sit-down restaurants, entertainment venues and locally owned coffee shops.

So far, Aldi has set up shop on the site. While a discount grocer rather than higher-end, it is a nice store that is not offered elsewhere in Suffolk.

And the city recently filled the entertainment venue category with the announcement that Cinema Café is coming to the site, although it will take more than three years to come to fruition.

The announcement was almost universally celebrated on social media.

Economic Development Director Kevin Hughes said the city targeted Cinema Café to fill the void.

While it’s still up for debate whether the development was the right choice, one thing is for sure — the city seems to be sticking to its promise not to fill the site’s retail slots with more of the same.