Small-format Meijer store to break ground at 1401 E. Jefferson

[swingline]

Almost 18 months since the announcement [[tent, cameras, developer and city official speeches, etc.) of this mixed use project and no shovels in the ground. Not good. Anybody have scuttlebutt?

[stasu1213]

Are you surprised? I had posted on October 25, 2017 that there would be a delay and the Spartan Foods product groups, who probably control that district's council person and other key figures in city government, don't like competition. The delay will stay until a new district council person will get that seat in District 5

[southen]

I can't recall if I read or or heard it on WDET but last year I remember hearing something about steel prices, from tariffs, causing some issue for the developer.

[erikd]

in September, the state granted brownfield tax credits to help pay for the removal of contaminated soil on the site of the proposed Meijer. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...er/1226740002/

This mayor talked about this project in the State of the City address two weeks ago, saying that it would break ground this year.

[stasu1213]

One would think that the soil was tested before the developers had purchased that site. Why could not Meijers pic an empty storefront in one of the strip malls close on Jefferson closer to the downtown area. I think that many excuses are going to be given for the stalling of the project but it could be political and who control the purse strings when it come to which grocery stores are allowed to set u sho in Detroit and which are not

[Gistok]

One would think that the soil was tested before the developers had purchased that site. Why could not Meijers pic an empty storefront in one of the strip malls close on Jefferson closer to the downtown area. I think that many excuses are going to be given for the stalling of the project but it could be political and who control the purse strings when it come to which grocery stores are allowed to set u sho in Detroit and which are not

LMAO.... stasu1213.... have you ever been inside of a Meijers? If you had, you would realize that there are no empty storefronts big enough to hold a Meijers... which from what I could find are about 180,000 square feet... more than any combined strip mall along Jefferson.

[Knocturnal]

LMAO.... stasu1213.... have you ever been inside of a Meijers? If you had, you would realize that there are no empty storefronts big enough to hold a Meijers... which from what I could find are about 180,000 square feet... more than any combined strip mall along Jefferson.

The Meijer store slated to be built is going to be a much smaller format, approximately 40k square feet. They have already opened a store/market in a similar fashion in downtown Grand Rapids. While still sizable, it's nowhere near what you're thinking. It will be approximately twice the size of Whole Foods in Midtown, to give you a better idea.

[O3H]

Bye Bye IGA ..... how can they compete ?

[313WX]

LMAO.... stasu1213.... have you ever been inside of a Meijers? If you had, you would realize that there are no empty storefronts big enough to hold a Meijers... which from what I could find are about 180,000 square feet... more than any combined strip mall along Jefferson.

A rumor was going around that they were initially considering building a standard format store on that huge lot SE of St. Jean and Jefferson.

That bring said, Meijer obviously determined it wasn't worth it to take that risk and instead will *lease* smaller store space.

And who knows. With the 5,000 high-paying new jobs coming to that area, and this project taking forever, they may change their mind again.

[JK313]

Looks like this is moving forward now without the apartments.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/apartments-scrapped-east-jefferson-meijer-project-detroit

[Hypestyles]

well, it figures. Good luck, I guess. street level parking only or a tower? lol.

[Atticus]

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...roject-detroit

Looks like this is moving forward now without the apartments.

I think this project is [[obviously) one of many that shows the ability to build new residential units profitably is no longer there. This is bothersome for several reasons:

First: There is the trickle down affect. Obviously the new units getting built are marketed toward higher income residents. Theoretically a new development should be pulling [[some of) those residents from existing housing, which in turn opens up that existing housing to lower income groups. So no new housing for upper income groups means less availability for the middle income groups [[and so on), which means higher prices and lower availability for lower and middle income groups.

Second: Less construction jobs, and you also go from a mixed used development to a one-story commercial development. Not good for the urban fabric the city is trying to create.

Third: It means population growth is slowing. Slower population growth means slower growth to the local economy [[people contributing to the restaurants and businesses, and ability for those businesses to expand) and also a slower growing tax base to subsidize city services.

Maybe the city needs to revisit residential development as a whole, and look to see if there are barriers or hurdles that can be moved to make such developments less costly for the developer?

[Zacha341]

Ample parking or count me out. I associate Miejer with having good parking... as provided by most of their stores.

well, it figures. Good luck, I guess. street level parking only or a tower? lol.

[DetBill]

It will be interesting to see that if the space ever gets built, keeping fingers crossed. Frankly, I never understood why they wanted to build apartments on top of the Meijers, next to a parking lot fronting Jefferson Avenue . I would think they would be awfully noisy residences to live in. The Jefferson traffic, especially in the summer, is very loud with motorbikes, blasting sound systems, and general traffic entering the parking lot from jefferson. At the rental rates they would be looking at, I believe there would be far better, quieter alternatives in the area.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Hah! Has to be better than living over restaurant though?

[stasu1213]

I would be surprised if plans continues to go forth in building the Meijer affiliated market. Why would a condo have to be built in order to have a Meijer on the ground level? My guess is that the same failed developers of the former Big Boy site had their grubby hands on this site as well. Its a racket

[stasu1213]

I would say that if the actual ground is not broken in the next few months then the idea of having a Meijer affiliated store in that spot will blow in the same wind as Planet Fitness had blew. The store could be like a grocery store only but even if it is a grocery store it would probably take close to 5 years just to build it

[JonWylie]

I would say that if the actual ground is not broken in the next few months then the idea of having a Meijer affiliated store in that spot will blow in the same wind as Planet Fitness had blew. The store could be like a grocery store only but even if it is a grocery store it would probably take close to 5 years just to build it

They said they hope to break ground in the spring

[stasu1213]

They said they hope to break ground in the spring

Blah, blah, blah,. I had heard that before. Dont hold your breath. The elected officials or city planners will be probably paid off by the Spartans Food group to trash the idea of any grocery store that not a Spartan grocery store. I had been saying this on this site for months and years

[JonWylie]

Blah, blah, blah,. I had heard that before. Dont hold your breath. The elected officials or city planners will be probably paid off by the Spartans Food group to trash the idea of any grocery store that not a Spartan grocery store. I had been saying this on this site for months and years

There's no point in putting an arbitrary deadline of "the next few months" when they are even saying that's not going to happen

[Zacha341]

Yeah I was looking forward the that Planet Fitness then realized it was not happening. On to another location I went.

I would say that if the actual ground is not broken in the next few months then the idea of having a Meijer affiliated store in that spot will blow in the same wind as Planet Fitness had blew. The store could be like a grocery store only but even if it is a grocery store it would probably take close to 5 years just to build it

[Zacha341]

Yeah the Big Boy site had a sign on it marking some restaurant it seemed. Then nothing but weeds now. Who was that?

I would be surprised if plans continues to go forth in building the Meijer affiliated market. Why would a condo have to be built in order to have a Meijer on the ground level? My guess is that the same failed developers of the former Big Boy site had their grubby hands on this site as well. Its a racket

[softailrider]

When site work is taking a long time, and all that’s happening is dirt being pushed around it’s usually indicative of a developer still looking for funding.

[DetBill]

When site work is taking a long time, and all that’s happening is dirt being pushed around it’s usually indicative of a developer still looking for funding.

I agree with your comment totally, and it’s getting to be a very frequent phenomena lately. The pushing dirt around syndrome. I never understand why these guys have these huge grand announcements, some incur all of these initial costs, and don’t even have the financing in place to develop the project. . The whole planning process seems terribly scattered, no wonder it never comes to fruition as it was approach so poorly in the first place. Sometimes , I think a lot of these developers and their companies just want to be heard for publicity purposes, Hoping to lure other interests into the project and try to create some fictitious market demand to impress. . They all love to tell you people and businesses are all just waiting in line for their developments. If that was the case they would’ve been developed promptly.
It also reminds me of the old real estate angle, when you’re looking at a house, and the real estate agent looks at you and says “well there’s another offer coming in this afternoon we think, so you better act fast “ , the oldest line in the book.

[Danny]

When I see developers doing the first shovel. Then I will believe it.