Robert Fresh Market says they will finally break ground on their new $9.5 million store at the corner of St. Claude and Elysian Fields.
The project consists of renovating the abandoned structure at 2222 St. Claude Ave. and building new structures at the site, for a total of 26,000 square feet of grocery store space and extra space for as many as seven other retailers. 2222 St. Claude Ave. has been boarded up and abandoned since Katrina.
The total project cost is $9.5 million, with $7 million of that going towards the grocery store and $2.5 million for the retail parcel. Financing for the project comes from Hope Credit Union, the City’s Fresh Food Retailer Initiative, state and federal historic tax credits, in addition to sponsor equity.
The site was home to the first self-service grocery in city, a Schwegmann Giant Supermarket. Robert Fresh Market took over the space from Schwegmann’s in the 1990’s, and his been involved in litigation since Katrina. That litigation finished up in 2014, and the sposorship group worked to get the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ryan Gootee General Contractors LLC and Trapolin+Peer Architects are the contractors and architects, respectively, on the project.
The store will employe 30 full-time and 50 part-time workers, and create 150 construction jobs. Renderings below!
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