Business booming for city
Numerous stores to begin construction this year
This year the city will see numerous stores and businesses being constructed, especially in the Riverwalk Marketplace, and next year will many of those will open.
“The exciting thing in 2018 is that we will see Riverwalk begin to develop and you will see building starting to occur there,” said City Manager John Lollis, adding, “I think that center will become very vibrant.”
By far the biggest store to begin construction this year in the city is the Walmart Supercenter inside the Riverwalk Marketplace, Lollis said.
“That is exciting,” Lollis said, adding, “I would say that is one of the most important things we are looking at.”
Lollis said the multinational retail corporation will begin construction in late summer or early fall, and noted that it is currently working on final plans.
“They are looking at, I would say the month of September,” Lollis said of when construction of the store might start.
Lollis added that Walmart Supercenter, which will be located inside Riverwalk Marketplace, will be built simultaneously with two other developments.
“We’ve always said Walmart [Supercenter] will be what drives that shopping center and so now it is there negotiating leases with other businesses to go out there with them so it is just not one store,” Lollis said.
Lollis said he expects Walmart Supercenter, as well as the other two developments, to open in early 2019.
One store that may open this year, Lollis said, is Aldi, which he said will be located across the street from the Riverwalk Marketplace right in front of Home Depot.
“They [Aldi] will be under construction this year and they may open in 2018, but definitely by 2019,” Lollis said, adding that a representative from the supermarket company will be at the next city council meeting for an alcohol permit.
With Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and several other developments as well as the completion of the Jaye Street Bridge, Lollis said that whole area will be completely different by Christmas of 2019.
“It will be an interesting new segment for the community in 2019,” Lollis said.
In addition to development in that section of the city, Lollis said he is also anticipating Porter’s Crossing Commercial Center — a commercial project located at the northeast corner of Henderson Avenue and Prospect Street — to be completed this year.
Lollis said there is also development interest where the old Porterville Hotel used to be on Main Street and Olive Avenue. Lollis said he hopes this year the city will get a development agreement done for that location.
“They would purchase the land from the city and then develop that corner with tenants,” Lollis said, adding, “They are working on that right now, trying to get those tenants.”
Lollis said the development would be three stories. He said the first story would be retail and the other two floors would be offices or some other kind of mixed use other than housing.
“That’s a project of significance,” Lollis said.
Other projects of considerable significance include the successor to Hoagie’s Heroes Sandwiches, The Lunch Box Catering Company, and the relocation of The Vault, both of which should be opening up real soon.
However, Lollis said the biggest city project this year is most definitely the new animal shelter. He said that project should begin construction some time this year and open next year.
“That would be my anticipation,” Lollis said, adding that the city council will consider a request for quotation (RFQ) for an architect at its next meeting. As far as the current animal shelter, Lollis said the city, which purchased it from the City of Lindsay years ago, will most likely sell the property. The money from the sell, Lollis said, will go toward funding the new shelter, which he said will cost about $1 million, which will pay for refurbishing the facility as well as new equipment such as kennels and a new air system.
Another project in the city to continue this year, Lollis said, is phase three of the Tule River Parkway. Lollis said phase three of that project, which he believes will start in the Fall, will consist of building the rest of the Tule River Parkway from Main to Plano. Once completed, Lollis said it will tie into Fallen Heroes Park.
Lollis said another project he would like to see continue this year is Veterans Park Trail. However, he said the continuation of that project is solely dependent upon funds.
“We’ve already got it designed so it is just a matter of getting the funding lined up,” Lollis said.
With the Veterans Park Trail project, Lollis said there are three phases. He said the city finished up phase 1, which was a trail from the city’s skate park over to the parking lot. He said the next phase would take the trail all the way down Newcomb to Morton, and noted that the plan for the final phase is to bring the trail all the way down Morton to Prospect.
“Then it goes all the way through Veterans Park, all the way around,” Lollis added.
In terms of Greenpower Motor Company Inc., Lollis said he anticipates the Canadian electric bus manufacturer to begin building its manufacturing facility out at the airport this summer. He said he also expects all 11 electric buses to be delivered this summer with the first two arriving at the end of the month.
In addition to the South County Detention Facility, which is on schedule to be finished this year, Lollis said he believes the federal government will offer a decision regarding the relocation of the Eagle Mountain Casino. If that project gets the OK, Lollis said he anticipates construction to begin in 2019 and for the casino to be open in 2020.
“I think that’s a very real possibility,” Lollis said.
As far as the city’s budget, Lollis said the city has started putting it together internally, and noted that he is both a bit worried and optimistic.
“I am concerned, but I’m confident we will figure it out,” Lollis said. “We always do.”