In 2007, developer Zaremba Group LLC submitted plans to the city of Delaware, showing Home Depot and Meijer stores would anchor the planned Glennwood Commons shopping center along U.S. Route 36/state Route 37 on the city's east side.
The Meijer store was built. Home Depot was not.
That fact was among the details discussed when Delaware City Council approved four ordinances April 23, allowing Zaremba to add 9.7 acres to Glennwood Commons, at the southeast corner of 36/37 and Mill Run Crossing.
Zaremba representative Chris Herzner told council, "Home Depot still owns a parcel. We continue to try to talk to them. That's as much as I know myself."
Matt Harrigan, from Home Depot's corporate communications office, said via email the company does not have plans to open a store at the site, and the property -- between Meijer and Kohl's at the center -- is for sale.
City Manager Tom Homan asked Herzner about the biggest challenges he's having right now with marketing the property.
"I know there's obviously some real history to this," Homan said.
Between the initial planning stages and the time Glennwood Commons opened in 2009, the Great Recession began, creating a serious downturn in the global economy.
Homan also asked Herzner, "What is your company strategy for filling out that acreage?"
"I am on the development side, not leasing," Herzner said. "I know from (merchants') current struggles and what I hear ... the way people shop is the biggest downturn, and people building new stores and expanding. We have had some increased interest in the outparcels. Four of them are kind of teetering on interest. ... I'm hoping when one or two of them develop ... people feel more confident in the location and being able to build on the lots."
Herzner declined to answer ThisWeek's questions after he left the meeting and did not return a phone message by press time.
Mayor Carolyn Riggle noted Hibbett Sports and Famous Footwear have left the center, and some merchants have told her they'd like to see more foot traffic there. Famous Footwear now has a store at the Tanger Outlets mall near Sunbury.
As the ordinances were discussed, Zoning Administrator Lance Schultz said the planning commission April 4 recommended the legislation be approved.
Zaremba owns the 9.7 acres, he said, which are subject to the same zoning and development requirements as the rest of Glennwood Commons.
No additional infrastructure is needed, and final development plans will be needed when the land is developed.
"This really cleans up that corner" of the Zaremba property, Schultz said, with "just three outlots waiting to get developed, hopefully in the near future."
Council passed ordinances for a rezoning amendment, a conditional-use permit, an amended preliminary development plan and a comprehensive-plan amendment for the 9.7 acres.
No one spoke during public hearings for each of the ordinances April 23.
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