Blaine Hy-Vee’s construction schedule is uncertain; City council approves extension | Business
Construction of the planned Hy-Vee store in Blaine may not happen for some time.
Blaine City Council recently granted a one-year extension to Hy-Vee’s conditional use permit, which was initially approved in October 2019. A one-year conditional use permit extension was needed for Hy-Vee keeps all approvals in place for development.
The store will be located on 40 acres at 210 125th Ave. NE, at the southwest corner of the intersection of Jefferson Street and 125th Avenue.
The 84,997 square foot store will include groceries, a liquor store, a restaurant (Market Grill) with outdoor dining, as well as a pharmacy, clinic, Starbucks and postal service. The grocery component will be a 24-hour store with 529 parking spaces.
A 10,500 square foot convenience store / gas station with car wash will be located on the northeast side of the site. The gas station is expected to have eight pumps and the car wash will have four separate bays. The building will have 53 parking spaces.
It is still unclear when construction will begin on the Blaine Hy-Vee store project at 210 125th Ave. BORN. The 40-acre property will include, to the right, a grocery store, convenience store / gas station, car wash and potentially a drive-through cafe. Two outlets, on the left, will be the subject of a contract for the construction of a commercial building and multi-family housing.
A drive-thru cafe and patio can also be built in the grocery store and gas station area.
City planner Lori Johnson said leveling work on the new Hy-Vee store began in fall 2019 and was completed in spring 2020.
“Conditional use permits generally expire if work is not started or continued for a period of one year, and because grading has been completed and no building permit or site plan approval has been granted. has been granted, a conditional use extension is required to keep the approvals for this development in place and valid, â€Johnson said. “We have done this for other projects in the past.”
She added that if construction does not start before April 19, 2022, another conditional use extension will be required.
Hy-Vee explained in its extension request that it is possible that improvements to common areas such as drives, utilities and public improvements could begin by fall 2021 due to interest in three exterior lots (retail and multi-family residential land use) west of the store parcel.
Phil Hoey, director of real estate for Hy-Vee, said Hy-Vee recently contracted to sell the larger outlot for multi-family use. He expects permits for the outlets to be submitted in the coming months.
Johnson said Hy-Vee had given no timeline for the start of construction on the store.
Mayor Tim Sanders said he was constantly asked about the start of construction and would like to get to know himself.
“We are frequently asked when our construction start day is on this project,†Hoey said. “Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer at the moment.”
Hoey said city staff will know when construction of the grocery and convenience store is about to begin when Hy-Vee applies for permits.
“Is there anything else you can give us … just to help us better understand the granting of this expansion?” Sanders asked Hoey.
A construction schedule for the Blaine Hy-Vee store slated for 210 125th Ave. NOT yet to be determined. Above, the 84,997 square foot store will include groceries, a liquor store, a restaurant (Market Grill) with outdoor dining, as well as a pharmacy, clinic, Starbucks and a postal service. Nearby, below, Hy-Vee will have a convenience store / gas station and car wash as well as a potential cafe with drive-thru.
“Our typical course of action has been consistent in the market in which we have sought to acquire sites on which we intend to build,†Hoey said. “Some of the ones we build on right away, some (like this one) that we build over a period of time. There isn’t necessarily a threshold to hit, it’s just when this store is slotted for construction to begin. “
Hoey said he didn’t know when that would happen, but said it was very likely that work on the entire set would begin next year.
“I know our plan is to keep building a store here,†Hoey said. “It hasn’t changed. We are delighted to be in Blaine, and it is still our plan and our goal to have a store operated here.
City council member Wes Hovland said he would support one conditional use permit extension once, but likely not support another in 2022.
“I don’t think it’s fair to the people of this neighborhood [Crescent Ponds] for starting leveling and tearing it up for a year, two years at a time, waiting for Hy-Vee to come in and finally start construction, â€he said. “Now, I don’t want that to be seen as a threat or anything of that nature, because as a community I think we really can’t wait to have a Hy-Vee grocery store here in town, but at the same time, we have an obligation to look at the people who live in this region. … I would really like to see some movement on this project.
Residents of Crescent Ponds have expressed concern or outright opposition to the project, citing potential impacts on traffic and public safety.
The city council voted unanimously to grant the extension of the conditional use permit.
The Spring Lake Park Hy-Vee store, located at 8155 Central Ave. NE, would still be on the right track and will open at the end of May.