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Construction is already underway for the new Target store coming to Spanish Fork in 2023.

Courtesy Spanish Fork CIty

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Spanish Fork's old Kmart building is being repurposed into a 100,000-square-foot Target set to open in 2023.

Courtesy Spanish Fork City

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A project that began 16 years ago is finally making headway: Target is coming to Spanish Fork in 2023.

Spanish Fork City originally approved plans for Target to come in 2006, according to Community and Economic Development Director Dave Anderson.

“When the recession hit shortly after, Target put a hold on their plans to build,” he said. “For a number of years, we didn’t have any contact with Target. Several years ago, as it became apparent that Kmart would be exiting the site Target will be occupying, we started working with TLM Realty. We have been working … for the past seven or eight years, and we are excited to see it getting at where it is right now.”

TLM Realty is a real estate company that originally developed the 10-acre property where Kmart used to be located. Target will be leasing the property from TLM Realty like Kmart did.

Spanish Fork Mayor Mike Mendenhall said the project has been a two-year work in progress, but Target and TLM Realty gave Spanish Fork permission to announce the news late last week.

The Target building will be 100,000 square feet in size. The current Kmart building is approximately 85,000 square feet, according to Anderson. Construction to remodel and expand the building is already underway by TLM Realty.

“They are making all of the improvements that are underway right now and are investing many millions into the property to get it up to the specifications that Target has provided,” Anderson said. “Target likewise will be investing many millions into the property when they take it over later this year and begin their own work.

“As I understand it, Target is getting a completed building and fully developed site with new parking, landscaping, new roof, HVAC system and flooring. Everything construction will be done by TLM, and Target will be doing their own finishing for branding and merchandising of the store.”

Mendenhall said he’s excited to have the old Kmart building repurposed.

“This was definitely a building that reached its economic useful life, so repurposing it and putting Target in there is a huge benefit,” he said. “It is on one of the strongest retail corners. We will entertain everyone that asks to come to Spanish Fork, and I would expect more of that to happen as we grow, but there’s certainly not another one that I’m as excited for as Target.”

If everything goes according to plan, Target will be taking over the site in early 2023 and opening later that year.

Spanish Fork City is contributing a few million dollars toward the renovation part of the project, according to Anderson.

“Because of the expense of the project having an existing building that has to be repurposed, in order to make this financially feasible, Spanish Fork has agreed to assist Target financially with the improvements they are making at the site, which has been a critical piece of making this work,” he said. “Companies like Target are used to buying nice, flat pieces of land that are unimproved that they can get cheaply, and that wasn’t the case here.”

Anderson said Target was one of the last major retailers not already located in Spanish Fork. Mendenhall believes bringing Target to the city will encourage residents to shop locally more often and keep sales tax dollars circulating in the city.

“Twelve years ago, I was the president of the Spanish Fork Chamber of Commerce and we always tried to stress to people and business to shop within the city,” he said. “We used to say that if you spent a dollar in Spanish Fork, it’ll go through seven people’s hands before it exits the community. The economic activity helps all businesses; we keep it local. So now, as we have the premiere retailer in the country landing in Spanish Fork, people won’t be as hard pressed to have to get on the freeway to get anything they needed, and that’ll be a big shift. We hope that people are able to shop there for the holiday season in 2023. We have a wonderful business community, and Target is a great addition to it.”

Target will be located at 900 E. Expressway Lane.