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Grant funds growth
Federal money will help build northwest shopping center

by John Minter, THE CHARLOTTE POST

A new supermarket will anchor a shopping center at the corner of West Boulevard and Clanton Road, thanks to a $2.5 million federal grant.

The federal money is part of a package that includes $950,000 from the city of Charlotte and more than $1,096,000 from First Union Bank.

In announcing the grant Tuesday, Charlotte City Council member Pat Cannon said negotiations are underway with a major grocery chain and that construction could begin as early this fall on the project.

Cannon

"As a result of these funds, the people in the area have a place where they can certainly live, work, raise a family -­ and now shop ­ unlike before," Cannon said. "In a two-mile radius you have 27,000 people underserved. This is an opportunity for a reputable grocery store chain to come into the area.

"Folks can brag on what's happening in the district as it relates to economic development."

The shopping will include 36,000 square feet for the supermarket and another 22,000 square feet of retail space, said Cannon, who compared it to a similar center, which includes a Food Lion and post office at LaSalle Street and Beatties Ford Road.

"The $2,560,000 made the deal feasible," Cannon said. "That secured it financially."

The city contribution was an Economic Development Initiative grant, which helped leverage the federal contribution ­ a U.S. Housing and Urban Development Section 108 loan guarantee, he said.

The site of the new shopping center is about a half mile away from another significant West Boulevard development project at Remount Road. That development, Cannon said, will include a neighborhood center along with some retail space.

It is being put together with the assistance of Ted White, executive director of the West Enterprise group.

That effort is in conjunction with the federally-funded Weed and Seed Program through the U.S. Attorney's Office. The area would be a empowerment zone.

"They will have retail, but some of it is for a center where the community can congregate...a center for meetings," Cannon said. "You are talking about heavy retail up and down West Boulevard."