Pete’s Fresh Market is finally moving forward with their Near West Side grocery store, according to store officials and Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd).

The holdup has been that the lot Pete’s is slated to sit on isn’t actually one piece of land. It used to include a few city-owned alleys, which the city had to formally abandon this summer.

Since then, the store has been held up with paperwork, as Pete’s attorneys have been going through the legal process of getting the site certified as a single property, and not a fragmented one broken up by alleys.

“The title company wouldn’t give us title without the alleys being vacated,” said Pete’s attorney, Endy Zeminides. “I think people look at it and see it as one site, and they don’t see that it’s far more complicated. There’s a ton of legal alleys there.”

Zeminides said Pete’s should have legal possession of the property within a month, and he said they should immediately begin work on the site. That’ll entail digging up and moving some of the utilities, as well as possibly doing some environmental remediation.

The site used to have a gas station on it, Zeminides said, and they might have to put what’s called a vapor shield over part of the site to keep some of the chemical contamination in the ground from seeping up. Also, some of the homes that used to sit on the site had rather unstable foundations made of landfill, he said. The company might replace them or fill them in with something more sturdy.

Charlie Poulikis, assistant to the chain’s owner, named a few companies that are set to go into the smaller storefronts next to Pete’s. A Seattle’s Best coffee shop was previously on tap, but the coffee shop’s parent company, Starbucks, decided they wanted the location themselves. Also on tap is a carry-out Chinese food shop, a nail salon, and a Sprint cellphone store.

While a Giordano’s was once on tap for the location, that’s been nixed as the company’s currently going through financial problems. Poulikis said that with the Starbucks coming in, they’re not planning on adding another sit-down restaurant in its place. That would cause parking issues, he said.

Poulikis said they’re hoping to get seriously moving on construction by November and open in mid 2012.

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By Elf from United Center
Posted: 01/13/2012 11:47 AM

Its January and nothing yet..whats up with that

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By Georgia from Near West Side
Posted: 10/04/2011 12:19 PM

These are my suggestions of storefronts to add next to Pete's Fresh Market: 1. cleaners with a shoe repair shop 2. mom/pop hardware store 3. bank (anyone but BOA)

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By Claudeah from United Center
Posted: 10/03/2011 8:03 AM

I am so leary of the promises and time estimates made by Mr. Poulikis. I think I trust three card monty player more. Hopefully, he will stay true to his word. The way the construction is going on the place at Madison and Halsted, I think I will be going there. I am willing to bet that it, as well as the new Target and Costco will be up before Pete's. I hope he proves me wrong.

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By Gloria S. from United Center Park
Posted: 09/30/2011 9:17 AM

It will be at Madison/Western. Now that the Post Office across the street from the site is endangered of closing, any additional development prospects?

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By JDW from West Loop
Posted: 09/29/2011 5:53 PM

Where is the proposed site?

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By Meghan from Near West Side
Posted: 09/29/2011 9:39 AM

Great news!! The neighborhood is anxiously awaiting Pete's (and Starbucks, etc) arrival!!