Not the most exciting development news, but news nonetheless...Kootenai County is set to get not one but two more Wal-Marts---one more in Post Falls and one in Hayden...
1. Wally's world
By BRIAN WALKER
POST FALLS --
Wal-Mart has found a second home in Post Falls.
Jeff Vitek of Foursquare Properties, the developer of the fledgling Pointe at Post Falls project anchored by Cabela's, said Wal-Mart has finalized its deal on property in the development near the state line.
"We're very pleased to announce a new Super Wal-Mart," Vitek said on Tuesday, adding that
construction could start this year on a 200,000-square-foot building on about 17 acres at the intersection of Baugh Way and Pointe Parkway in the northwest part of the project.
"We believe that The Pointe is going to be a super regional destination that will draw customers from as far as the coast, Canada and Montana. (Wal-Mart) is a nice complement to Cabela's and it will serve the immediate trade area and community."
The Press reported last September that Foursquare was in negotiations with Wal-Mart, but Tuesday's announcement by the developer brought finality to the deal.
Post Falls resident Shelly Johnson said the news was a surprise, especially with the murky economic climate and since many cities larger than Post Falls don't have a Wal-Mart, let alone two.
"It seems like a bit much right now," she said. "But if Cabela's is going to attract a lot of people and the area is going to continue to grow, then maybe I can see it."
Wal-Mart spokesperson Karianne Fallow said she couldn't make an official company announcement on Tuesday, but added: "We'd be really excited to serve customers in Post Falls with an additional store."
Fallow said Post Falls and The Pointe provide a "growing destination market."
"So it makes good sense for us (to have a second store), especially with all the other retail development going on," she said. "We do extensive market analysis and take these things very seriously."
Wal-Mart supercenters employ more than 300 people, Fallow said.
Wal-Mart also has a store along Interstate 90 in Spokane Valley and is expected to start construction this summer on another in Hayden at U.S. 95 and Honeysuckle.
Post Falls city administrator Eric Keck said city staff was also somewhat puzzled over a second Post Falls location. He added that retailers such as Wal-Mart do not enter into such ventures without a lot of analysis.
"The nature of the free market economy is such that Wal-Mart could locate a second store in our community," Keck said.
Hayden Mayor Ron McIntire, who owns area Super 1 Foods stores, earlier said he's also not surprised and called a second store a "natural sequence."
The location will attract Liberty Lake residents, future growth on Post Falls' west side, in addition to tourists visiting Cabela's and future retailers in The Pointe, McIntire said.
Vitek said Wal-Mart is eager to go through the city approval process and start construction. He said the new location will be slightly larger than Post Falls' current store.
But Keck said that the start of construction on large retail stores can be cloudy, even if the property has been purchased. He said that no applications have been submitted to the city for the new building.
"Wal-Mart may have just purchased the ground from Foursquare to preempt a competing retailer such as Target from locating in Post Falls," he said. "This type of territorial real estate management occurs in other areas of the country and is typically done by the large grocery firms."
Post Falls' current Wal-Mart supercenter on Mullan Avenue was built about seven years ago. The city has approved the retailer's plans to remodel that store, but it is not expanding.
"While some residents in the community have decried the current store's presence in Post Falls, Wal-Mart has proven to be a good amenity for the community," Keck said. "We have been assured by Foursquare Properties that the Mullan Avenue location would remain in business."
Sam's Club, Wal-Mart's version of a Costco, has been rumored to be interested in Post Falls, but city officials said there is nothing in the plans for the current Post Falls location that indicates that the store will be converted into a Sam's Club.
"I have reviewed the remodel plans for Mullan Avenue and they are definitely not for a Sam's Club," Keck said.
Fallow said Wal-Mart typically updates its supercenters every six to eight years. She said the current Post Falls location has performed well, but did not disclose statistics.
"You can see by the number of cars in the parking lot that the store is very busy," she said.
Keck said Foursquare
will pay for all of the off-site improvements at The Pointe as well as the construction of the new Beck Road interchange that will serve the project along I-90.
"It looks like things are coming together well on this and we have been told that construction will still commence in 2009 with the interchange opening sometime in 2010," Keck said.
The Post Falls Chamber and Visitor's Center also plans to move to The Pointe.
Source:
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/200...ews/news01.prt
2. Hayden store to begin construction
By BRIAN WALKER
HAYDEN --
Construction on a new Wal-Mart Supercenter at the southwest corner of Honeysuckle and U.S. 95 in Hayden is expected to start this summer, city officials said.
The company has purchased the property, and the city has commented on the site and building plans that were resubmitted about two months ago, city administrator Jay Townsend said.
"I think they'll look to start construction sometime this summer if everything goes OK with the site plan review," Townsend said.
Townsend said the city's comments are "pretty standard" and not expected to delay the project.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Karianne Fallow said the architectural plans will be submitted to the city soon.
"The process is moving along and we're going back and forth with the city on comments," she said.
The city engineer is currently reviewing the off-site improvements as the intersection of Honeysuckle and U.S. 95, and Centa Avenue will need to be improved with the store coming online. Delivery trucks will use Centa.
Townsend said a hurdle that has delayed the 20-acre project, but appears to have been overcome, is relocating a sewer lift station from the northwest corner of the intersection.
"Moving that station across the street has been a big undertaking," Townsend said.
The 200,000-square-foot building will face Honeysuckle, so motorists on U.S. 95 will see the side of the building.
"We're asking for the land to be aggressively landscaped on that side (that faces U.S. 95)," Townsend said.
The building on the outside will sport more of a Northwest look than the traditional blue appearance, he said.
Source:
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/200...ews/news02.prt
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