Jump to content

Alpine Ave Developments


GRDadof3

Recommended Posts

Here's some various shots of what's happening on Alpine Ave. It's a suburban sprawl equivalent of the Boom on medical mile. Well maybe not. But I don't remember this much activity on Alpine since Greenridge shopping center was first constructed.

Let's begin from the south work our way north.

The former Lear Plant being revived.

Made into a tax free ren zone soon after the closure of Lear, this massive industrial complex is currently being divided up in to a handful of lease-able spaces catering to small to medium sized light industrial and commercial companies. As seen here new facade work is being done to portions of this hulking edifice to spice it up a little.

learplantnl2.jpg

The newly renovated Alpine Meijer looming in the distance.

Revived, enlarged, and modernized by a drastic 16 million dollar whole store renovation, the venerable Alpine Meijer is now ready take on a new Wal-Mart supercenter, currently under construction, in what will surly become one of the most colossal and viciously fought retail wars ever to be waged on Alpine Ave.

alpinemeijer082707fo4.jpg

Starbucks Coffee.

Fast taking shape across the street from the Greenridge Shopping Center, this little yet distinctive gem will be perking up the drowsy and weary with cups of Joe sometime next year....if not sooner by the looks of things.

starbucks082707yz4.jpg

A Strip mall located on the corner of 4 mile road and Alpine Ave.

Once trapped in a time warp of cheesy late 80's/early 90's architecture complete with tacky neon accents, this strip mall completed a much needed face lift. just a month ago. Now sporting a new and more up-to-date look, this strip mall now gives its collection of tenants sharper and more snazzy digs. And just in time, because any small store's worst nightmare, a Wal-Mart supercenter, is fast materializing less than a half mile to the north.

stripmall082707iz7.jpg

The Alpine Marathon Gas Station.

Several months ago this Marathon gas station was an old derelict and hardly used facility. Conditions got so bad that 4 of its eight pumps were no longer in working order. Thankfully the old station has been demolished. A new and hopefully much better gas station is now rising in its place. With Wal-Mart building a new supercenter to the north and a possible life style center anchored by a Cabela's going in to the west this new gas station will no doubt see allot more business thanks to the additional traffic that will be generated.

alinemarithon082707cf3.jpg

Now I leave you with a shot of the new Wally World taking shape.

Sized at 209,000 sq. ft. and adding a full line supermarket to all the offerings available at the conventional Wal-Mart its replacing, Kent Co's first Wal-Mart Supercenter will be a 500 pound gorilla that will step on Meijer's toes. However Meijer has answered Wal-Mart's threatening posture by renovating its aging Alpine store into a lean mean retailing machine that will give the new Wally-World a run for its money. None the less, with Meijer and Wal-Mart about to collide, Alpine Ave. will no doubt feel the percussion waves of what will become a violent and hard fought retail war. So if you are a small business on Alpine Ave. caught in the crossfire you better batten down the hatches because you're in for some rough seas as these two titans slug it out.

walmart08272007hp8.jpg

I'm hoping to hit Alpine ave. again soon to get more shots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 159
  • Created
  • Last Reply

You forgot the old farm on the East side of Alpine across from Menard's that has now been wiped out and the land completely cleared. I think we posted one of the new retail developments going in just North of that spot next to Verizon, but there must be another one wedged in between that and the Evergreen properties development.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anybody know if Spartan Foods is going to replace the Family Fare store (former D&W) on 4 mile? Seems like I heard something along those lines a long time ago. However, the current store is very old and just a stone's throw away from the new Wal-Mart Supercenter. It's a nice looking store inside. But still I doubt it can endure the Smiley Face's wrath unless it relocates into a better and more state of the art facility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You forgot the old farm on the East side of Alpine across from Menard's that has now been wiped out and the land completely cleared. I think we posted one of the new retail developments going in just North of that spot next to Verizon, but there must be another one wedged in between that and the Evergreen properties development.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Some Pictures taken Thursday of Last Week

A strip mall being built directly across the street from Menard's

1397674925_d731847e41_o.jpg

The new Mobile Gas Station being built in place of the old one at the 4 Mile Rd intersection. Hopefully this new Gas Station will be as cool looking as the steel structure suggests.

1397674789_da9c620b4c_o.jpg

The New Starbucks Coffee being built across the street from the Greenridge Shopping Center. So far this little gem is turning out to be one of my favorite Alpine Ave. buildings when it comes to architecture. Remove the surface lot and this building would feel at quite home somwhere in Easttown, or Gas Light Village.

1397674593_d03eff88b5_o.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For your viewing pleasure, I proudly present to you the Alpine Ave. Sprint/ Centennial Wireless store featuring the world's stupidest paint job.

1414239703_9476608aab_o.jpg

I know some retailers like to emblazon their stores with their corporate colors. But this is well beyond ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alpine Ave. as a whole is a work in progress, something that has changed drastically over the last three years even. I grew up in that area of Walker before graduating High School in 05' and moving downtown for college reasons. With family and friends still in that area Alpine Ave. is a place that I still drive down a few times a week.

If you were to go to Walker's City Site they have a master plan for Walker as a whole seperated into three sections (Alpine, Standale, & Orchard Park) Over the next few years Walker hopes to completely change the feel of Alpine.

The biggest change going on right now has to howevr be the former Leer Plant, as the posts above mentioned they had completed the renovation of half of the front section but now over the last week or so they have completely dug up an entire section of the parking lot, for what reason I have no information on.

The Starbucks down past three mile is expecting to open within a couple months according to my last knowledge. Next to Bed Bath & Beyond in Greenridge Square they're once again renovating the former home of some discount book store, what they are making it this time I don't know. I also have no idea as to what is being built next to Perkins nearer to the road, but honestly that seems like a poor place to put something, talk about cluttering up one "block" if you will.

Funny story with the gas station at 4 Mile & Alpine, a few days before its demolition I was in there and there was a sign on the door that red "Closing Soon For Remodeling". I drive back down there three days later to see it completely demolished, I dont think Remodeling was the right word for that.

I hope sometime over the next few days to go up Alpine and get some pictures of what's happening, been fighting a rather nasty flu that has seemingly swept GRCC...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Starbucks down past three mile is expecting to open within a couple months according to my last knowledge. Next to Bed Bath & Beyond in Greenridge Square they're once again renovating the former home of some discount book store, what they are making it this time I don't know. I also have no idea as to what is being built next to Perkins nearer to the road, but honestly that seems like a poor place to put something, talk about cluttering up one "block" if you will.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The flu bug i caught at Grcc a few weeks ago actually i think it was my second week in class and its a bad strain no voice coughing exct exct. I can defeintly sympathize with you. Getting back on topic though anyone know when Target is going to be doing there remodel i heard awhile back they were going to a superTarget to compete with Wal-Mart is that still going through?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It seems the last time I heard about the Alpine Target is that they got approval to upgrade to a Super Target. But from there it seemed to go nowhere. Perhaps Target is waiting to see how Orchard Park will turn out or maybe Wal-Mart's upgrade to a supercenter has stopped Target dead in its tracks.

The flu bug i caught at Grcc a few weeks ago actually i think it was my second week in class and its a bad strain no voice coughing exct exct. I can defeintly sympathize with you. Getting back on topic though anyone know when Target is going to be doing there remodel i heard awhile back they were going to a superTarget to compete with Wal-Mart is that still going through?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.