The former P&C Supermarket and Real Deals building has been leveled to make way for a new Walgreens this fall.
The building at the corner of Seward and Grant avenues were demolished over the weekend, and the cleanup of the rubble is underway. The demolition will be followed with preliminary site work next week, including preparing the area for construction and putting the foundation down, said Brian Donovan of HDL Property Group, LLC, out of East Syracuse. HDL is the developer for the project.
Although early site plans included a number of other possible buildings on the site, Donovan said only Walgreens will be constructed this fall. The Walgreens, which will sit at the front of the plaza, is scheduled to open in early 2006.
Long-term plans for the project also include construction of three other buildings, which will most likely house a bank, a sit-down or fast-food restaurant and a center strip for 6,000- to 8,000-square foot retail businesses, Donovan said.
Donovan said aside from Walgreens, there were no commitments from specific retailers yet, but he said they have spoken with several about the site.
"By September or October of next year, we should have those open or under construction," he said. "Once the Walgreens construction begins, people will see activity. ... I think it will attract the enthusiasm of a lot of national retailers, and people will start to jump on board."
Earlier in the year, there was talk of bringing a Starbucks to the plaza, which Donovan said was still a possibility. HDL is "heavily soliciting" Starbucks, he said.
HDL leases the buildings to retailers. They will construct four separate buildings for each of the occupants, rather than having a strip mall.
For the past two weeks, the developers have been working on asbestos removal. Donovan said they were trying to expedite the Walgreens portion project, so that they could bypass winter construction.
He was optimistic about the progression of the project.
"This is the best corner in all of Auburn," he said. "There are a lot of different options."
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or e-mail
anne.gleason@lee.net
Although early site plans included a number of other possible buildings on the site, Donovan said only Walgreens will be constructed this fall. The Walgreens, which will sit at the front of the plaza, is scheduled to open in early 2006.
Long-term plans for the project also include construction of three other buildings, which will most likely house a bank, a sit-down or fast-food restaurant and a center strip for 6,000- to 8,000-square foot retail businesses, Donovan said.
Donovan said aside from Walgreens, there were no commitments from specific retailers yet, but he said they have spoken with several about the site.
"By September or October of next year, we should have those open or under construction," he said. "Once the Walgreens construction begins, people will see activity. ... I think it will attract the enthusiasm of a lot of national retailers, and people will start to jump on board."
Earlier in the year, there was talk of bringing a Starbucks to the plaza, which Donovan said was still a possibility. HDL is "heavily soliciting" Starbucks, he said.
HDL leases the buildings to retailers. They will construct four separate buildings for each of the occupants, rather than having a strip mall.
For the past two weeks, the developers have been working on asbestos removal. Donovan said they were trying to expedite the Walgreens portion project, so that they could bypass winter construction.
He was optimistic about the progression of the project.
"This is the best corner in all of Auburn," he said. "There are a lot of different options."
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or e-mail
anne.gleason@lee.net
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