What will be developed on the old Allen’s Grocery store property in Springville?
Alycia Earl, with J.B. Earl Company, points out structures as she talks with Scott and Helen Fuhriman, of Springville, beside one of six different tentative plans during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the Allen's Super Save Market property in downtown Springville held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Justin Earl, a partner with Redstone Investments and president of J.B. Earl Company, speaks as a photograph of the vacant Allen's Super Save Market is displayed during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the downtown Springville property held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Jackie Snelson, of Springville, places a sticker among other stickers representing different opinions displayed on various features that could be implemented during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the Allen's Super Save Market property in downtown Springville held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Community members listen to a speaker during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the Allen's Super Save Market property in downtown Springville held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Steven Usdan, a managing member at CCA Acquisition Company, speaks during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the Allen's Super Save Market property in downtown Springville held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Stickers representing different opinions are displayed on various features that could be implemented during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the Allen's Super Save Market property in downtown Springville held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Community members express their opinions with stickers on one of six different tentative plans during a community meeting led by developers concerning development ideas for the Allen's Super Save Market property in downtown Springville held Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the Springville Public Library. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Dozens of people packed into a meeting room at the Springville Library on Tuesday night to find out what might be developed on the downtown block that previously contained Allen’s Super Save Market.
Allen’s Super Save Markets in both Provo and Springville closed their doors for the last time in January 2018, and the building has sat vacant ever since. Tuesday’s meeting didn’t reveal any finalized decisions, though attendants were told of options being considered and were asked for their input.
The properties in both cities were listed for sale in February, and the Springville property is currently under contract with CCA Acquisition Company. Steven Usdan, president of CCA Acquisition, told those attending the meeting Tuesday that before developing, the company and other development partners want to gather public feedback on a future project.
According to the Utah County Parcel map, Allen’s Inc. currently owns the entire block under and around their Springville store, bounded by 300 South and 400 South to the north and south, and 100 West and Main Street to the east and west.
Both 400 South and Main Street are both major thoroughfares for the city.
Justin Earl, co-founder of J.B. Earl Company, stressed that no specific plans have been decided yet for the property, though he did dispel some rumors (the property will not be developed into a homeless shelter) and present six potential development options.
Earl lives in Springville, and said he drives past the location in question almost every day.
“I want a great project for our town,” Earl said.
The first option would simply be to bring new tenants into the existing spaces on the property, Earl said, though that’s not what the development team wants to do.
“We don’t think it maximizes the vision of what downtown Springville could be,” Earl said.
The second option was similar, though it added a few restaurant pads to the property.
Options three through six all involved tearing down the existing structures on the property and starting over with some sort of mixed use development.
Option three would extend Springville’s Main Street shopping all the way to 400 South, a way to increase the city’s tax base, Earl said. The rest of that property would be residential.
Earl said it’s a shame that young college grads have few options for housing in Springville, and typically opt to move up north after graduating instead.
Option four, Earl said, starts getting more into the direction of where the project team wants to see the development go. It includes housing both for rent and for sale, professional office space, retail space and a parking structure.
Option five was similar to option four, adding a “featured corner” where the two main streets meet to feature a possible plaza, or glass storefront that would accentuate a business space.
Option six would maximize site utilization, Earl said, with business, retail, town homes, apartments and community spaces. The building heights would be approximately 55 feet in this plan. Option six would maximize the tax base for the city and the foot traffic downtown, Earl said.
Earl said the project team is not limited to those ideas, and encouraged public feedback. Surveys were handed out at the entrance to the meeting, and people were encouraged to use sticky notes to give feedback on what they did and did not like about the proposed options.
Earl said after the feedback is processed, another similar public feedback meeting will be held in a few weeks, though no details are finalized yet.
