There appears to finally be significant progress on the redevelopment of the former Target Store space in Benton Township.
Construction trade sources have told MoodyOnTheMarket.com that there was a ‘walk through’ Wednesday at the M-39 former Target space, offering potential sub-contractors an opportunity to view the space before submitting bids for portions of the re-make. The project is said to be on a fast track, with construction possibly starting in April, pending local government approval by Benton Township.
The same sources told us that the first new tenant, occupying about half the former Target space will be Hobby Lobby, a leader in the retail hobby and craft sector nationwide. Hobby Lobby has never been in the Benton Harbor market. However, it operates eight stores within a one-hour drive in Indiana and Michigan. (Mishawaka, Elkhart, Michigan City, Valparaiso, Merrillville, Portage, Kalamazoo and Holland.}
The construction management firm involved in the project, and said to have hosted the ‘walk through’ event Wednesday is Innovative Construction Solutions of Waukesha, WI, a company specializing in retail construction.
Innovative Construction Solutions cites several ‘retail resurrection’ projects on its website, including a former Menards in Wisconsin and a former Kmart in Iowa. All were subdivided for multiple national brand specialty stores, as is the apparent plan here.
Informed speculation from long-time Benton Township (Fairplain Plaza) developer Jim Paul (as MOTM reported in January) is that the other half of the Target space will likely be taken by the HomeGoods chain or a similar retailer. Paul is not involved in the current Target remake, however, still owns property in Benton Township, notably the former Texas Corral location on Pipestone Road.
Benton Township officials have so far not commented on the Target/Hobby Lobby apparent progress.
