Multiple retailers have submitted building permits for the former K-Mart location – Ames Tribune

By David Mullen, Staff Writer dmullen@amestrib.com

TuesdayFeb18,2020at2:31PMFeb18,2020at8:16PM

The future of the former Kmart location in Ames is starting to take shape as several retailers have submitted building permits, city officials said Tuesday.

HomeGoods, Ulta Beauty, PetSmart, Five Below and an interior storage facility all submitted building permits to the city prior to the end of 2019, Ames City Planner Julie Gould said.

Even though the interior storage facility has submitted a permit to the city, a name or brand was not listed on the permit.

The Ames City Council approved the final plat in July to divide the deserted building, located at 1405 Buckeye Ave., into a multi-retail space location.

The Kmart location shut its doors for the last time in December of 2014, and since that time there has been a lot of speculation about what the space would be used for due to its proximity to South Duff Avenue, one of the busiest streets in the city.

The building that is owned by a California holdings company submitted a Major Site Development plan for the property and preliminary plat at a city council meeting in 2018.

The City Council approved the plan, but on a condition that the developers would make the building more appealing to the public by adding design features to the sides of the building that face the street.

Although city officials know what the future residents of the building will be, there is currently no estimated date of when construction will be finished.

Were talking to (the developers), so we know that the total project is moving forward, but the timing of it is unknown, Gould said.

Besides adding new retail stores in the building, the construction of multiple new buildings and improvements to the parking lot are also a part of the project, Gould said.

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Multiple retailers have submitted building permits for the former K-Mart location - Ames Tribune