Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Approves Plans for $19 Million in New Investment

Meijer, the Grand Rapids-based discount department store has confirmed it has signed a development agreement to build a 192,000 sq. ft. store in the new Shoppes at Gateway Park at Woodward and 8 Mile Road.

While the news doesn’t guarantee a store will be built, it is an important milepost toward that goal. It would be the first Detroit store for the retailer, and one of the strongest signs yet that Detroit has substantial untapped demand for grocery and other retail shopping. A task force that studied the market found that Detroiters spend almost a billion dollars every year on groceries, and using industry estimates, calculated that more than $200 million of that is spent outside the city because closer choices are not available.

According to press reports, the developer is planning to round out a 365,000 sq. ft. retail center with a number of other smaller stores including the clothing retailer, Marshalls.

Meijer is a Michigan-based company with a well-respected brand. We would welcome a Meijer store here.