Walmart Eyes South Fayetteville Site

STAFF PHOTO ANDY SHUPE CEI Engineering has requested the Fayetteville Planning Division rezone 6.2 acres along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between and Hill and Government avenues for a Walmart grocery story and fueling station.
STAFF PHOTO ANDY SHUPE CEI Engineering has requested the Fayetteville Planning Division rezone 6.2 acres along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between and Hill and Government avenues for a Walmart grocery story and fueling station.

FAYETTEVILLE -- A Walmart grocery store and gasoline station is planned on the north side of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, between Hill and Government avenues.

Thad and Burt Hanna are under contract to sell the land to Walmart, according to a Sept. 2 letter from Stephen Giles, a Little Rock attorney representing the Hannas.

At A Glance

Zoning Change

Representatives for property owners Thad and Burt Hanna are requesting to rezone about 6 acres northeast of Hill Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from I-1, heavy commercial and light industrial, and C-2, commercial thoroughfare, to C-2, commercial thoroughfare. Members of the Fayetteville Planning Commission’s Subdivision Committee are scheduled to review a rezoning request for the land Oct. 2. The full Planning Commission must then sign off on the request before it’s considered by the City Council.

Source: Staff Report

Giles' letter, addressed to Jeremy Pate, city Development Services director, mentions a "proposed retail grocery store and fueling station" on nearly 6 acres but doesn't identity what format the Walmart store would be.

Robert's Auto Repair and several industrial buildings are on the property.

Tom Burry, project engineer with CEI engineers in Bentonville, wouldn't discuss development plans Wednesday, saying none had been submitted to the city.

Thad Hanna declined to comment. Walmart's media relations department didn't respond to a Tuesday afternoon request for information by the end of the business day Wednesday.

"A grocery store at this location will conveniently serve the large number of area residents, many of whom live in University of Arkansas student housing and rental homes," Giles said his letter.

Walmart has two Neighborhood Markets in Fayetteville, one off Wedington Drive and the other at the intersection of Mission Boulevard and Crossover Road. Two Supercenters are at 2875 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and 3919 N. Mall Ave. A Walmart on Campus is in the Garland Avenue Garage, across the street from university dorms, and a Sam's Club is several miles north on Garland.

The land at Hill Avenue and King Boulevard is less than 1.5 miles from two Marvin's grocery stores, one at 1620 S. School Ave. and another at 380 N. College Ave.

It's also a stone's throw from a 16-pump Kum & Go gasoline station and convenience store that was built at 729 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in 2011.

Walmart announced plans in February to build 270 to 300 small-format stores this year. Small-format stores include Neighborhood Markets, Walmart Express, Walmart on Campus and Walmart To Go.

Plans for three Neighborhood Markets with fuel stations have been approved in Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville since May. Each development will feature a roughly 41,000-square-foot store with a six- or 12-pump fuel station. A smaller Neighborhood Market -- at about 32,000 square feet -- is expected to open next year as part of a mixed-use development on the northwest corner of the Bentonville square.

Walmart Express stores, such as one planned in Decatur, average about 15,000 square feet. The stores typically carry produce, bakery and deli items, health and beauty supplies and a limited selection of other household items.

The company is also planning a pilot grocery pickup site at Southeast Dodson Road and Southeast J Street in Bentonville. The store will allow customers to order groceries online, schedule a pickup time and have items delivered to their cars when they arrive.

NW News on 09/18/2014

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