Kohl’s takes shape at Dowling Village
NORTH SMITHFIELD – Thanks to a help of a modular construction technique, the Dowling Village commercial development off Route 146A, Eddie Dowling Highway, will soon be opening its final major retail store, a new Kohl’s department store, in time for fall sales.
A work crew for Kohl’s contractor, Thomas Grace Construction Services and Retail Solutions of Stillwater, Minnesota, was found installing roof trusses on the new building this weekend.
The contractor has already raised the store’s prefabricated concrete walls under a “tilt-up” panel technique allowing the project to proceed at a faster pace than traditional block and mortar construction, according to Brian Bucci, Dowling Village’s developer.
“The wall panels are made at a factory so it is a much faster way of getting their building done,” Bucci explained.
The Kohl’s store has been in the Dowling Village development plan for at least five years but only recently began construction due to a redesign of Kohl’s prototype stores, according to Bucci.
What Kohl’s is building locally will feature the Wisconsin-based retailer’s move to incorporate online sales within its brick and mortar store locations, Bucci explained.
“This will be one of their newest “Omni Channel stores,” he said.
The Omni Channel concept includes the location of online kiosks and displays throughout the retail store, allowing customers to order a product from the online Kohl’s if they can’t find it in the retail store. Kohl’s, a retailer with 1,155 stores, sees the modified Omni Channel prototype as providing the same or better experience in relation to
its large store format, according to Bucci.
The concept allows for the development of a smaller retail store foot-print like the 35,000- square- foot Kohl’s going up at Dowling Village, he noted.
A traditional Kohl’s like store found up Route 295 at The Crossing in Smithfield, or other area locations such as 650 Bald Hill Road in Warwick or 1 Commerce Way in Seekonk, could feature 55,000 square feet typically, according to Bucci.
“This is one of 7 prototype stores being built around the country,” Bucci said of the Dowling Village Kohl’s.
As for his commercial development overall, the Kohl’s store will be the last major retail building constructed at Dowling Village. A Lowe’s home center is already located there as is a Walmart store and an Aldi’s supermarket and PetSmart. The development also features a Buffalo Wild Wings, and a Texas Roadhouse, as well as a number of smaller retail businesses in its marquee line up.
The development has just two available vacant commercial lots for stores from 10,000- to 15,000square-feet that could be developed over the summer, according to Bucci. A planned 80- unit luxury apartment complex to be constructed on land behind the Lowe’s store would complete the mixed- used development plan for Dowling Village, according to Bucci.
“Dowling Village will have completed its mission of providing a mixed used development where people can work, live and play,” Bucci said. “They can work there, live there, shop there and eating there in its restaurant,” he added.
Bucci Development Inc. has a Rhode Island commercial development headquarters in Warwick and also has as residential and office construction operation based in Charlotte, North Carolina.