Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Great Trader Joe's Dig Begins?

Retail week on Sloopin wouldn't be official if we didn't have at least one post about the Trader Joe's that's going in at the corner of Roosevelt and State. As you may or may not remember, one of the "contingencies" for TJ's to come to this location was that they could build a parking lot (beyond what was already there).

In a newsletter from Alderman Fioretti, it sounded like the plan was to build a parking garage underneath the building. As we said then and will say again, we're not really sure how (or if) that's really going to happen but it appears some form of construction project is beginning:



After we snapped these pictures they put up a green construction fence which has a sign for Bovis on it. So it looks official in our mind. As always we will keep our eyes fixated on this project and try to monitor updates accordingly.


Finally, it also appears that the inside has been cleaned out and some contsruction has begun there as well (we noticed one of the backwalls has a huge hole in it). Besides that nothing major at this point, but good to see some movement within the building.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

The permit on the fence is for a basement parking garage.

SouthLoopScot said...

Whoo-hoo! I hope they can get the work done in a timely fashion and get that store open!

Anonymous said...

Sloopy - this blog would be so much more valuable to local residents if you would do some basic investigative research. Read the permit. Ask the workers. Go by and take some photos. This would require....10 minutes of your time?

Sloopy said...

anon 3:34 - believe it or not, Sloopin isn't a full time job. It could be, but that would require someone or some business to donate some money to the cause. I would gladly quit my day job and/or hire a paid staff if we had some additional revenue coming in. Right now that's not the case.

We do what we can and hope it's valuable in some way. We rely on people around the neighborhood (like yourself) to help fill in some of the blanks.

As an FYI, we did take the pictures and we did walk by the parking lot. Unfortunately when we did, we didn't see the permit.

Regardless, thanks for coming to the site.

Anonymous said...

That's harsh anon 3:34. Sloopy is doing this out of his own good will and interest in the neighborhood. If something is of interest to you, why don't you take the 10 mins to go find out about it and report back. That's why there's such a thing as comments on this blog.

Unknown said...

Just to add fuel to the flame. I walked by the proposed underground garage site and saw workers and a back hoe or some other sort of construction rig set up. Alas, no pictures.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to remaining so well-composed, Sloopy, in the face of such an entitled and condescending comment. I second the above comment: If it only takes 10 minutes of one's time, why don't you do it anon 3:34?

Anonymous said...

In that picture they are drilling soil borings for testing.

Anonymous said...

whoo-hoo i'm totally excited for the Trader's Joe!

AL said...

THANK YOU for all the information and tips you provide! I wouldn't know half of the things that are going on around the neighborhood if it wasn't for your blog!ty

Anonymous said...

Sloopy - I think you are doing a GREAT job! I don't care what some of these nincompoops say!

Anonymous said...

Hey all - Just curious if there's been an updated timeline for the opening of TJ's?

Anonymous said...

http://www.suntimes.com/business/6650491-420/trader-joes-opening-sept.-9-in-south-loop