Hy-Vee moves forward on East Sunshine store

After years of delays, West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee Inc. is moving forward with a second Springfield store.

At 2130 and 2150 E. Sunshine St., Springfield Business Journal this morning observed crews clearing trees to make way for the store. Hy-Vee Vice President of Communications Tina Potthoff confirmed the plans first reported by 417 Magazine.

“This particular location is now at the forefront of construction plans,” she said, noting the store would be a large-format location. “We’re still evaluating what types of offerings we’re going to have.”

Potthoff said a construction timeline for the store has not been set, but that the new location wouldn’t open this year. She was unsure of the general contractor and architect for the project or its size and cost. SBJ previously reported Hy-Vee had plans for an 85,000-square-foot, $12.7 million store on the wooded East Sunshine lot.

“We should have a better idea of that in a couple months,” Potthoff added.

Hy-Vee’s first Springfield store, a $17 million, 86,000-square-foot location, opened in October 2011 at 1720 W. Battlefield Road. Hy-Vee later sold the store property to LHV Springfield LLC in November 2014, staying on as a tenant, according to SBJ archives. LHV Springfield, formed by New York City-based commercial real estate finance company Ladder Capital Finance LLC, continues to own the property, according to the Greene County assessor.

On East Sunshine, Hy-Vee owns the 11.5-acre site it bought in February 2013 from Jewell Schweitzer, according to assessor records.

Springfield City Council in November 2012 approved Hy-Vee’s plans to rezone the acreage to general retail despite opposition from more than 20 residents, according to SBJ archives.

Potthoff said Hy-Vee sat on the property until its eight-state strategic planning process called for a new store to open in the Queen City.

“We own property all over the eight-state region,” she said. “When it’s a good time to build, then that’s when we move forward.”

Hy-Vee operates stores in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. It has 30 stores in Missouri, according to its website.