Move over, WalMart and Save-a-Lot — it is likely Aldi’s will be selling groceries in Middlefield Village by next summer.
Move over, WalMart and Save-a-Lot — it is likely Aldi’s will be selling groceries in Middlefield Village by next summer.
Middlefield Village Planning and Zoning Board discussed Sept. 28 a lot split and plans to build a 21,000-square-foot Aldi’s at 15611 West High Street at the corner of South Springdale Avenue.
Robert Papotto, senior engineer with The Atwell Group in Independence, showed plans that give the 91-space parking lot driveways off Springdale and West High.
Both the former dry-cleaning building and the house to the east will be demolished in preparation for construction Papotto said could begin as early as October.
Delivery trucks will enter off Springdale, go to the eastern side of the lot, then back into half-grade docks at the rear of the building, he said.
Deliveries are planned at least three times a week from the Hinckley distribution center.
Village Zoning Inspector John Boksansky said the village only requires 60 to 70 parking spaces for that size of store, but Aldi’s requires at least 91 spaces.
Papotto said hitching rails and five spaces for Amish horses and buggies will be installed near the Springdale entrance.
Chairman Scott Klein recommended as many as 25 spaces be allowed for horses with buggies and that they be located along the West High Street side of the parking lot so they are away from the delivery truck entrance.
“I’m just guessing, but I expect Aldi’s will be very popular (with the Amish,)” he said.
Aldi’s exterior will be red and tan brick and the interior will be a more recent design, Papotto said, adding the heating and air conditioning systems will be on the roof and will be screened from view.
Something new for Middlefield shoppers will be the quarter-a-cart system at all Aldi’s stores.
“You will never see a cart in an Aldi’s parking lot,” Papotto said.
Shoppers put a quarter in the cart corral chain system to release a shopping cart and get a quarter back when they return the cart to the door.
The new store will need 10 to 15 employees, depending on demand, and will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays, he said, adding he didn’t know how much the construction will cost.
However, Aldi’s has on a nine-month build-out timeline so, as soon as the company has all its approvals finalized, the property sale will go through and demolition will begin, he said.
Opening is planned for June or July 2018.
Rather than having a retention pond, the store will have underground run-off water storage and attractive perimeter landscaping including ornamental grasses, hydrangea and sea-green juniper shrubs, Boksansky said.
A tree lawn will remain on both sides, Papotto said.
The board voted in favor of the plans.
In other business, Boksansky said Chem Technologies is planning to add a third 36,000-square-foot section to its operation on the southeast corner of state routes 87 and 528 with an impact fee to the village of $32,472.
The company CEO, Jim Schill, is planning five phases to the structure with the third having the peaked roof and the two future 36,000-square-foot additions having rooflines that slope down to the south.
