Bucktown slated to get Mariano's Fresh Market

Roundy's Supermarkets Inc. plans to open a 75,000-square-foot Mariano's on the former Hayes Mechanical Inc. site, a four-acre property bordered by Ashland, Webster and Elston avenues. The Milwaukee-based supermarket chain has signed a 20-year lease there with options to extend, Cook County records show.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/a ... esh-market

Interesting. It always irks us, as Bucktown homeowners, that the grocery pickings are so slim (we are not fond of Aldi at all and the Milwaukee one has very limited offerings of which to feel fond). The article doesn't have a time horizon; it would be nice to know how fast such things generally happen.

annak wrote:Interesting. It always irks us, as Bucktown homeowners, that the grocery pickings are so slim (we are not fond of Aldi at all and the Milwaukee one has very limited offerings of which to feel fond). The article doesn't have a time horizon; it would be nice to know how fast such things generally happen.

Once construction started, the one being built near me on Elston sems to be going up very fast. The start of constrution seemed to take eons, though.

On the one hand I'm thrilled with a good grocery offering I don't have to go to through Damen/Fullerton/Elston. On the other hand, I worry about the traffic, as that stretch of Webster is already very busy due to the highway on-ramp, and lots of in-and-out with the Yoga place, the UHaul rental, the emissions inspection place and the car wash all right around there - and just across Ashland the movie theaters create a lot of traffic. Cars often back up all the way across Webster from Damen/Fullerton/Elston (and the other way in the mornings from the on-ramp) and it's very difficult to make a left off the Damen off-ramp, with cars trying to turn R. on Damen blocking the way for cars wanting to use the L. lane.

Maybe we'll get some traffic flow analysis and actual planning for this? Left turn lanes and signals at Ashland/Webster? Better markings for pedestrians and cyclists all the way around?

Looks like the previous building has been leveled. I'm scouring for a projected date but haven't found anything. Nor have I found anything that talks about solutions for increased traffic. I do think if the parking structure entrance and exit are on Elston, it might not be that bad. As someone pointed out, Webster and Ashland already carry a heavy load.
Anyone else know of a timeline?