GALESBURG — PetSmart, Marshalls and three other as-yet unconfirmed businesses will be moving into the former Walmart building at 2031 National Blvd. after Aug. 1.
Builtech Services LLC, the general contracting firm for the building’s renovation, has a deadline of Aug. 1 to finish construction. Dan Schmarje, superintendent of Builtech, confirmed that PetSmart and Marshalls will be moving into the building. The building will include space for three other businesses, but Schmarje was not certain what, if any, other businesses have signed a lease.
Erin Gray, senior corporate communications manager at PetSmart, confirmed Thursday evening that PetSmart is slated to open in the location in the fall of 2018.
"Since the grand opening date is still several months out, we're unable to provide further at this time," Gray said.
Builtech workers started construction earlier this week. Schmarje, who has set up an onsite office in the building, described the building’s condition as “very good.”
“As old as the building was, I was expecting to see more damage,” Schmarje said. “Old buildings (are often) falling apart, and this one is in really good shape.”
Seven Builtech workers are working on pulling down ceiling tiles and removing insulation. They plan to start removing the building’s ceiling tile grid next week, and after that they will strip out everything underneath the building’s decking, including conduit and water pipes.
Schmarje expected the workers would be finished with the initial demolition and start building the store spaces inside within the next couple of weeks. He expected renovations on the building’s exterior to start in April, “if not sooner,” and the workers will continue work on the interior at the same time.
The exterior work will include adding new signage, sprucing up the entrances and adding two new curb islands in front of the stores. That work should continue through the beginning of summer, Schmarje said.
Kairos Investment Partners, a commercial real estate investment and development firm based in Park City, Utah, partnered with Tramlaw, the owner of the building, to redevelop the former Walmart.
“We are in the process of transitioning from the pre-development to the construction phase of the project,” said Joshua Ettner, principal at Kairos, in an email Tuesday. “At this time we are unable to announce any of the potential incoming tenants. As soon as we are, which should be in the next few weeks, we will offer an official press release.”
Last year, the city of Galesburg’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved a reconfiguration of the Walmart parking lot for the redevelopment. Kevan Cooper of Bruner, Cooper and Zuck Inc., which Kairos hired to help redevelop the property, said in a previous interview with The Register-Mail that Kairos planned to bring a restaurant or other possible retail client to an outlot on the property, but Schmarje did not know if Kairos still intended to go through with that plan.
Steve Gugliotta, planning manager for the city, said Wednesday there are currently no building permits issued on the Walmart project and that permit applications have not been submitted yet. Cooper did not return voicemails left by The Register-Mail Tuesday and Wednesday.
Galesburg residents told The Register-Mail throughout the week they have lights on in the building at night, cars parked in or near the site’s former garden center and two Port-A-Johns on site. They expressed their belief that it was nice to see development coming to Galesburg, and hoped it would draw other businesses to town in the future.
Rebecca Susmarski: (309) 343-7181, ext. 261; rsusmarski@register-mail.com; @RSusmarski