Latest news with #fooddesert
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mum's the word: Petersburg officials silent on why plug was pulled on Sycamore Grove
The future of a multi-use development that was supposed to make a dent in Petersburg's 'food desert' is uncertain after City Council voted last month to rescind agreements with the consortium developing it, citing unfulfilled deadlines and other 'infrastructure issues.' The question of Sycamore Grove's viability could be answered when City Council convenes for its first meeting of the month June 3. In the meantime, Petersburg refuses to say for the record if the project that was a cornerstone of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's 'Partnership for Petersburg' initiative is just delayed or done for good. Petersburg spokesperson Joanne Williams says the city will not comment beyond the May 20 resolution that junked the agreements. A spokesperson for Youngkin said his office will continue to monitor the project but hopes council will have something to announce Tuesday afternoon. The Virginia Development Consortium, which was spearheading Sycamore Grove and its affiliated Adams North development in Old Towne Petersburg, told The Progress-Index the deal was 'abruptly' pulled, and it lamented the decision 'It is deeply unfortunate that Virginia Development Consortium is no longer being allowed to stand with the Petersburg community and Governor's office as a committed partner in delivering a quality grocer, attainable housing, well-paying employment opportunities, and economic development investments that would have directly addressed multiple real and urgent needs of residents,' Marvin Lyman, development director for the consortium, said in an email. Sycamore Grove was set to occupy the former Southside Regional Medical Center's vacant site with a combination of retail and residential spaces. It was to be anchored by Grants Supermarket, a Bluefield, West Virginia-based grocery chain with a handful of stores in southwestern Virginia. Adams North was going to be a development around Bank, Adams and Sycamore streets in Old Towne. While ground was broken last October on the Sycamore Grove development, nothing has occurred since then. That is, until City Council met on May 20. Councilors emerged from a closed session to pass a resolution terminating the agreements with the Virginia Development Consortium. The measure passed with little discussion about the resolution's content. The Progress-Index requested a copy of the resolution. It was sent by Williams with the remark, 'Council rescinded this ordinance. No other comment on the action at this time.' Feds claim Dinwiddie County is a 'sanctuary' for illegal immigrants. County says, 'What?' The resolution itself was long on details about the creation of a 'Master Development Agreement' between City Council and the Virginia Development Consortium to develop both the old SRMC and the Bank-Adams-Sycamore site. In addition, Petersburg submitted an application for state Industrial Revitalization Fund grants to help finance Sycamore Grove. However, the resolution, while long on development details, was short on why Petersburg wanted to pull the plug. First, Petersburg said the VDC had 'failed to secure a satisfactory grocer' even though Grants was on hand for the groundbreaking to offer details about the Petersburg store. It also claimed VDC 'did not engage in successful negotiations' to add any more retail clients to the development. Second, Petersburg reportedly 'discovered significant infrastructure issues which contributed to the decision of Council not to proceed further with these projects.' Those issues were never spelled out in the resolution – and no one has come forward to answer The Progress-Index's questions about what those issues were. But the resolution added that the infrastructure issues 'may render the projects cost prohibitive.' Third, most agreements between the city and VDC had expired 'with no development having been performed on the sites.' The timeline to receive IRL grants is conditional to Petersburg transferring possession of the sites to VDC ... which now will apparently not happen. In Hopewell, Youngkin signs bill banning cellphone use in schools With the agreements now rescinded, the focus now turns to the future of Sycamore Grove and Adams North, and whether either will become a reality. The short answer as of now is, if anyone knows, they have not said anything yet. The Progress-Index sent several requests for comment to city spokesperson Joanne Williams and Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham. In a text on May 27, we point-blank asked Williams, the Petersburg spokesperson who said the city was not going to comment beyond the resolution, whether Sycamore Grove was simply delayed or permanently off the table. That message remains unanswered. Youngkin spokesperson Peter Finocchio sent the following: 'The Administration and City of Petersburg continue to work in partnership on the housing and commercial development projects moving through the process with the City. We continue to support the City through the numerous growth opportunities before them which will be part of the agenda at their June council meeting.' The governor gets regular updates on progress in the Partnership for Petersburg initiative, but it was not immediately clear if he had been briefed on the latest developments. Grant's Supermarket was set to become the anchor of Sycamore Grove and make a dent in Petersburg's status as a 'food desert,' meaning it does not have significant access to major supermarkets. Only Food Lion and Walmart have stores within the city limits, and both are in southern Petersburg and not considered centrally located. Ron Martin, co-owner of the Grants chain, told The Progress-Index that he was 'unaware' that there were any issues with the contracts for Sycamore Grove. Emails between advisor, council leadership show process for firing Hopewell city manager Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Future of Sycamore Grove unclear after agreements were rescinded
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Sycamore Grove developer reacts to Petersburg pulling contract: 'City simply walked away'
The group contracted to develop the Sycamore Grove mixed-use community in Petersburg has pushed back against the city's claims that it was they who forced the contracts to be rescinded. In a lengthy statement June 10 to The Progress-Index, the Virginia Development Consortium said it was Petersburg who dropped the ball on Sycamore Grove and its affiliated Adams North project in Old Towne. The group said it repeatedly nudged the city administration to move the process forward, but those nudges were not successful. 'These were shovel-ready projects,' Harold Johnson, VDC's managing partner, said in the statement. 'We had agreements in place, a grocery partner secured, and the Governor and Mayor publicly celebrating the groundbreaking. Then, after months of shifting excuses, the city simply walked away.' VDC and the city were going to turn the now-vacant former Southside Regional Medical Center site off South Sycamore Street into a mix of retail, office and residential space. The project, a cog of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's 'Partnership for Petersburg' initiative, was supposed to bring a long-awaited grocery store to central Petersburg and ease the 'food desert' status of the city. On May 20, City Council voted to rescind its agreement with VDC, saying that the developer had not met deadlines or responded to any inquiries about development. At a ceremony with Youngkin in Petersburg June 3, Mayor Sam Parham said the project was still a go as Petersburg was looking for a new contractor, and blamed the contract revocation on a main water line beneath the property that he said VDC was unwilling to either work around or work with Petersburg on the $25 million cost to move it. In its statement, VDC said the delay was all on Petersburg. The group said Sycamore Grove and Adams North were structured 'under signed agreements' where Petersburg would transfer the property to VDC, negotiate contracts to sub-developers and issue a Virginia Industrial Revitalization Fund-backed loan of $3.5 million. It also noted that Petersburg City Council had passed binding resolutions acknowledging the project and the city's obligations. 'Despite repeated efforts by VDC to move the projects forward, the city took none of these actions,' the VDC statement read. Instead, VDC said it was forced to pay $2 million out of its own pocket relying on Petersburg's good faith. 'Every time our legal counsel pressed the City for action or clarity on why the projects weren't moving, the reason changed,' Johnson said in the statement. 'First it was a lack of legislative authority, then dissatisfaction with the grocery partner, then cost, and finally vague infrastructure concerns. None of it lined up with the agreements or the city's own public statements. 'The justifications were never consistent and did not withstand scrutiny.' Of umbrage to VDC, the group said, were Petersburg's concerns over infrastructure, which came to the group as a surprise. VDC said Petersburg never mentioned the water-line issue to the group in any of its conversations until Petersburg invited VDC to take part in a May 20 council closed-session via telephone to discuss progress – a move VDC said it now sees as 'bait-and-switch.' 'It was during this meeting that [City Attorney Tony Williams], for the first time, conveyed a $20 million price tag for the infrastructure challenge,' VDC claimed in the statement. 'The figure came as a surprise. Up to that point, infrastructure concerns had only been raised in vague and general terms.' Despite promises on the phone call to send the materials, VDC said it received nothing and later learned that council voted during the open session of that May 20 meeting to rescind the contracts. 'Ironically, that vote stripped the very legislative authority the city had previously claimed it didn't have,' VDC said. VDC also took issue with what it said were optics in Petersburg's satisfaction with the selection of West Virginia-based Grant's Supermarket as the grocery store to anchor Sycamore Grove. 'At the October 2024 groundbreaking ceremony, Mayor Sam Parham stood alongside the governor and proudly unveiled Grant's Supermarket as the anchor retail partner, touting its arrival as a major step toward addressing food insecurity in the area,' the statement read. 'The grocer was publicly celebrated as a solution to long standing access challenges and a key piece of the redevelopment vision. Yet that same partner later became one of the primary reasons the city cited for halting the projects. The contrast between the public celebration and the private blame is stark and difficult to reconcile.' Ron Martin, co-owner of the Grant's chain, told The Progress-Index earlier that he was 'unaware' there were any issues with the contracts for Sycamore Grove. Since the grand opening, Martin said he had not heard from anyone associated with the city about the chain's presence. VDC said the statement was not issued in order to regain the contract. Instead, it wanted to show commitment 'to public transparency' and to share its side of the story. The group accused Petersburg of grandstanding on the projects just to curry favor. In the process of doing so, VDC said Petersburg's assessment of the fallout is 'grossly misleading. 'Despite the public ceremonies and political fanfare, the city never followed through. It signed agreements, held a closed-door meeting under the guise of cooperation, and then quietly killed the projects,' it read. 'While the city may have scored political points with a groundbreaking and a podium, there was little substance behind the show.' It concluded with, 'What could have been a transformative investment for Petersburg is now a missed opportunity, and it is VDC and the city's residents who will unfortunately pay the price.' Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Former developers react to end of Sycamore Grove contract
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Developer introduces plans for a new town center in Glenwood
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Community members gathered in Glenwood Thursday to learn more about a potential grocery store development. For years, the area has been deemed a food desert. Residents got to learn more about the developer who is looking to add not just a grocery store to the area, but a completely new plaza. This has been a long time coming, the Glenwood area could soon see some action on their efforts to bring a grocery store to the area, ending the years-long food desert. On Thursday night, dozens of residents got to hear from the Sankofa group, the development agency that is heading the project. They introduced the Glenwood Town Center, a mixed-income, 3-phase development that will include apartments, townhouses, and, of course, a grocery store. It would be located on the corner of East 15th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. While the grocery store was favored by many in attendance, the developer made it clear that they did not intend to build affordable housing, which many residents were asking for. It also raised concerns over the housing outpricing those who have lived in Glenwood their whole lives. 'Being a legacy family member, there are several people who would like to move back to Glenwood. People who moved away up north, down south to make a living, really would like to come back to Glenwood, would like to come back to Panama City,' Glenwood resident Michelle Bryant said. The developer says he would need the housing in the complex in order to draw in a grocer to fill the property. As for what kind of grocer it will be, they don't one yet but say it will be comparable to a Trader Joe's or Sprouts. All of this is conceptual and still awaits approval from the community redevelopment agency that owns the land. 'He brought this to us and we're negotiating a contract now, but we will fully discuss that and determine whether there's a green light for this particular development at the end of July at the C.R.A. meeting. It would be at that time if we were to say, hey, we like what you've presented. Let's move forward with this,' Panama City Commissioner Janice Lucas said. Lucas says if something were to change with the concepts, residents are welcome to voice their concerns with the CRA at their monthly meetings. Representatives from the CRA were at the meeting and confirmed that the current CRA plans do allow for this kind of development, but they are currently working on updating the plans to more specifically address this project. There is no set timeline, but the developer said Thursday he expects a project like this one to take about 6 to 7 years to fully construct. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
International grocery store brings relief to Baltimore neighborhood in food desert
International grocery store LA Mart opened a new Maryland location less than a year after a store closed in a Baltimore neighborhood, leaving a food desert. The new store opened at 4624 Edmondson Avenue, at the former location of a Giant Food store. Supermarket closure leaves food desert When Giant announced it was closing in June 2024, the company redirected customers to its newly remodeled store on Wilkins Avenue, two miles away. "It was mixed feelings for the community," said Jeffrey Young. "I don't know what the situation was, but I don't think they were concerned about the community at all. Not knowing that it affected people that live in this community and the surrounding communities that have nowhere to go to get fresh food at a supermarket." Young doesn't live far from the supermarket and, like others, is happy there's a grocery store that neighbors can walk to again. "When the Giant left, we became a food desert," said Councilman Paris Gray, who represents District 8. Neighbors appreciate new grocery store LA Mart offers a wide selection of produce, international products, a bakery and a seafood department with fresh fish, lobster and crabs. Customers like Carolyn Young, who lives nearby, were devastated when Giant closed in 2024. She said it was especially hard on older neighbors who had to venture further to get their groceries. Young is no stranger to LA Mart as she used to drive to one of the store's other locations. She welcomed the new location, which is closer to her home. "It's a multicultural area, so the market really gives everybody in the neighborhood what they need, so I think it's a great fit," Young said. Young and other customers said they're enjoying the fresh produce and low prices. "I just think the best thing about it so far is the prices on the fruits and vegetables, and even the salmon and fish and stuff like that," said neighbor Rudo Minson. "Lobster is on sale, crabs." Minson lives down the street from the new store, and for months, he has been commuting to different markets to get groceries. "I appreciate the supermarket being here, that's for sure," he said. New development in Baltimore neighborhood Councilman Gray worked with the owners at Edomdson Square and the Edmondson Village Shopping Center next door to find grocers when he learned Giant was closing. The new LA Mart opened less than a year after Giant closed. "I think it shows the economic power that we have in southwest Baltimore," Gray said. "Oftentimes we are overlooked, but we have strong communities, stable communities that can support not only one but what we will see is two grocery stores." Aldi is slated to open a location at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center. Gray said there is no timeline yet, but the lease is signed. It's part of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment in the works by The Chicago Trend Corporation. Baltimore's Edmondson Village Shopping Center is undergoing a renovation project. The Chicago Trend Corporation "What we're really excited about is just the opportunity and the opportunities that are going to come from both shopping centers when it comes to jobs, when it comes to food accessibility, making sure our dollars in Baltimore stay in Baltimore," Gray said. Quickway Japanese Hibachi and Charley's Philly Steaks also plan to open locations in the shopping center, and additional stores are expected to be announced. The changes can already be seen with Councilman Gray pointing to improved lighting, new awnings outside most stores, new signage and improvements to make sidewalks more accessible. "We're already starting to see the changes, but it's going to be really important that folks keep their eyes open and continue to see the changes each and every day and each and every month as we move to full completion," Gray said. The new developments are something neighbors are already taking note of. "I'm happy to see the construction and development in the neighborhood actually coming up," said Carolyn Young. "I think that everyone can appreciate that." Local restaurant wanted for new development As development continues at Edmondson Village Shopping Center, the search is on for a local restaurant, Gray said. "If you want to be a part of the renaissance that's happening in Baltimore and the beautiful thing is it's happening in all corners of Baltimore and not just one area, come to the Edmondson Village Shopping Center because we have a place for you," said Gray. Restaurant owners interested in opening a southwest Baltimore location can reach out to Chicago Trend for more information or contact Gray's office.
CBS News
30-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Stockton's Food Source, last remaining U.S. location, to close for good
Food Source's last remaining location is in Stockton. Now it's closing for good. Food Source's last remaining location is in Stockton. Now it's closing for good. Food Source's last remaining location is in Stockton. Now it's closing for good. STOCKTON — The city of Stockton is losing yet another grocery discount store. Food Source, under parent company Raley's, announced it is closing its location on West Hammer Lane for good on June 6. It's been the last remaining Food Source in operation nationwide. Nearly all of the Family Dollar stores, all the 99-cent stores, and Big Lots have left the city, and the Stockton Sears closed last year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture actually considers a large portion of the West Hammer Lane area a food desert for people who live more than half a mile away. A lot of the big-box stores left because of nationwide closures. Family Dollar claims inflation and retailer competition. Raley's told us that Food Source is closing because the lease is up and the owner of the property is looking for a new tenant. As for what's going to take its place, that has yet to be announced. People like Stockton native Mary and her family have made Food Source their go-to spot for groceries for decades. "I was very disappointed, kind of shocked, you know?" she said of Food Source closing. Now, she'll have to find the food to feed her family somewhere else. Cynthia Burnham is new to Stockton but found a piece of home in these grocery store aisles, which now sit empty. "We just moved here from Alabama. I found this place because it reminds me of some of the stores in Alabama, and I could find some of the stuff that I like," she said. Just like Mary, Burnham, too, has to start from square one. "I finally found something I like, and now I got to start looking again," said Burnham.
