Jasper Gates Redevelopment | 90m | 30s | RioCan | Stantec

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  • Total voters
    13
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Do we know if Safeway is planning to stick around?
Guess not. Safeway there is closing down
I talked to the one cashier, the Safeway will be turned into a FreshCo? I imagine Sobeys still has a lease on the property then. They'll likely throw a trailer for the replacement pharmacy in the parking lot like they did with 127st.

Not sure if they will be doing any exterior modifications for the redevelopment during this time. But it would be nice. (New entrance to the plaza from west side 151st)
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Guess not. Safeway there is closing down
I talked to the one cashier, the Safeway will be turned into a FreshCo? I imagine Sobeys still has a lease on the property then. They'll likely throw a trailer for the replacement pharmacy in the parking lot like they did with 127st.

Not sure if they will be doing any exterior modifications for the redevelopment during this time. But it would be nice. (New entrance to the plaza from west side 151st)
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From what I've heard as a local resident, the NE corner will be developed first, the grocery store would be one of the last (which makes sense as its closest to residential and an anchor store id say)
 
From what I've heard as a local resident, the NE corner will be developed first, the grocery store would be one of the last (which makes sense as its closest to residential and an anchor store id say)
Is that Giant Tower store still across the street North from this development? Or has this side been redeveloped yet> I would bet it sees some towers.
 
Safeway is now a FreshCo here and is nearly reopened.
 
Safeway is now a FreshCo here and is nearly reopened.
This makes zero sense to me.

Converting the Safeway to FreshCo meant the removal of most of the in-store services, like the bakery, deli, florist and hot meal counter. There is a large seniors' complex nearby, with many residents who don't drive. They now lack a full-service supermarket within walking distance and instead have a Sobeys knockoff of No Frills--and the real thing was already right across the street. The nearest full-service stores (Safeway Meadowlark, Safeway Terra Losa, Save-on-Foods Mayfield) are a long way away.

I happened to be in St. Albert a few weeks back and checked out the Gateway FreshCo, which was also a Safeway conversion--and also right next door to a big seniors' complex. I was walking past the pharmacy and an elderly lady was loudly berating the pharmacist: "Why did you take out the bakery, deli and meat counter? Now I have to go elsewhere for these services!" The impact on seniors and carless residents in Jasper Gates will likely be similar.

Local government and community leaders talk about the importance of having services like supermarkets in neighbourhoods in order to keep districts vital and attractive to existing and prospective residents. But clearly it's just as important to have the RIGHT kind of supermarket.
 
This makes zero sense to me.

Converting the Safeway to FreshCo meant the removal of most of the in-store services, like the bakery, deli, florist and hot meal counter. There is a large seniors' complex nearby, with many residents who don't drive. They now lack a full-service supermarket within walking distance and instead have a Sobeys knockoff of No Frills--and the real thing was already right across the street. The nearest full-service stores (Safeway Meadowlark, Safeway Terra Losa, Save-on-Foods Mayfield) are a long way away.

I happened to be in St. Albert a few weeks back and checked out the Gateway FreshCo, which was also a Safeway conversion--and also right next door to a big seniors' complex. I was walking past the pharmacy and an elderly lady was loudly berating the pharmacist: "Why did you take out the bakery, deli and meat counter? Now I have to go elsewhere for these services!" The impact on seniors and carless residents in Jasper Gates will likely be similar.

Local government and community leaders talk about the importance of having services like supermarkets in neighbourhoods in order to keep districts vital and attractive to existing and prospective residents. But clearly it's just as important to have the RIGHT kind of supermarket.
Meh, I'd rather have cheaper groceries than flowers. It's not like cheap stores don't sell bread and meat.
 
This makes zero sense to me.

Converting the Safeway to FreshCo meant the removal of most of the in-store services, like the bakery, deli, florist and hot meal counter. There is a large seniors' complex nearby, with many residents who don't drive. They now lack a full-service supermarket within walking distance and instead have a Sobeys knockoff of No Frills--and the real thing was already right across the street. The nearest full-service stores (Safeway Meadowlark, Safeway Terra Losa, Save-on-Foods Mayfield) are a long way away.

I happened to be in St. Albert a few weeks back and checked out the Gateway FreshCo, which was also a Safeway conversion--and also right next door to a big seniors' complex. I was walking past the pharmacy and an elderly lady was loudly berating the pharmacist: "Why did you take out the bakery, deli and meat counter? Now I have to go elsewhere for these services!" The impact on seniors and carless residents in Jasper Gates will likely be similar.

Local government and community leaders talk about the importance of having services like supermarkets in neighbourhoods in order to keep districts vital and attractive to existing and prospective residents. But clearly it's just as important to have the RIGHT kind of supermarket.
It seems that the seniors weren't spending enough to keep those enhanced services viable. Many years ago, Safeway in that location used to occupy the entire West portion of the building. (Extending to where the dollar store is now.) It was downsized once. Safeway never installed self-checkouts in that store either, which I took as an indication that the sales continued to be relatively weak. I am not surprised it was converted to FreshCo, and the immediate area to the West of the store is not a wealthy part of the City, so the FreshCo discount positioning probably aligns better (from the corporate perspective). It is a loss to the community but there is an independent butcher's along Stony Plain Road not too far west from the store.
 
With the prices of groceries and cost living overall skyrocketing, I would think seniors living on fixed incomes would likely also appreciate cheaper groceries verses having a bakery/deli.

Consider as well that 149th & Stony is an interesting area. Yes, there is a lot of expensive infill gentrification going on in areas like Grovenor, Parkview and Crestwood, but there is also a lot of lower income housing all along 149th and within areas like Canora, West Jasper Place and Brittania Youngstown (basically everything west of 149th) that Jasper Gates services.

A bit different to compare to than in St Albert, where of course not all are wealthy/upper class, but for sure moreso than what surrounds Jasper Gates imo where they would appreciate a grocery store more focused on selection and fresh goods than price.

Just my two cents.
 
With the prices of groceries and cost living overall skyrocketing, I would think seniors living on fixed incomes would likely also appreciate cheaper groceries verses having a bakery/deli.

Consider as well that 149th & Stony is an interesting area. Yes, there is a lot of expensive infill gentrification going on in areas like Grovenor, Parkview and Crestwood, but there is also a lot of lower income housing all along 149th and within areas like Canora, West Jasper Place and Brittania Youngstown (basically everything west of 149th) that Jasper Gates services.

A bit different to compare to than in St Albert, where of course not all are wealthy/upper class, but for sure moreso than what surrounds Jasper Gates imo where they would appreciate a grocery store more focused on selection and fresh goods than price.

Just my two cents.
Fair enough, but my point was that the "budget" supermarket segment was already perfectly well met in the area by No Frills across the street. There was (and is) a need for a full-service supermarket offering the departments that No Frills doesn't, like hot meals and an in-store bakery. Now that need is completely unmet in return for Sobeys duplicating the budget format that was already represented across the street.

I think you are underestimating the benefit to seniors and other residents of the area being able to visit a deli and get just enough meat or cheese that they need, rather than having to pay for a full package they might not use. Or the benefit to someone who doesn't or can't cook, of being able to pick up a hot chicken or meatloaf or ready-made pizza. That's all lost now.

If I were, say, Freson Brothers, I would spy an opportunity that has now been created in this market. If I recall correctly, the former IGA that burned down at 154 Street and Stony Plain Road is still an empty lot. (Not sure if there is a caveat on the property held by Sobeys.) A full-service supermarket on that site would fill a niche that my competitors have foolishly conceded to me.
 

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