My research isn't bringing up much....so I thought I'd ask you guys if you knew of any interesting/innovative urban grocery store designs.  I need to design something around 15,000 sq ft w/ an attached garage surrounded by other mixed-use smaller buildings for a water-front location.  I would get in my car and drive around to surrounding communities for ideas...but I'm stuck on an island right now.

 

(Randy, I know you probably have some ideas on this)

 

Thanks!

Honestly, the Sunflower Market at South Campus Gateway in Columbus is a nice design and fits your criteria (I believe).

 

http://www.southcampusgateway.com/directory/detail.php?location=47&page=1

If you know Randy then you're probably familiar with the IGA on Ludlow. It's not as nice as the Sunflower Market but something like that could be less costly and it fits the mixed-use context you wanted. Parking is provided in the rear, underneath the store and isn't enclosed. It's certainly different.

Yeah, I used the IGA to figure out reasonable walking distances from the door to the parking since I'm going to orient the store to the water front....still can't quite figure out why my town wants to waste a habour view on a grocery store, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to provide downtown services.

Honestly, the Sunflower Market at South Campus Gateway in Columbus is a nice design and fits your criteria (I believe).

 

http://www.southcampusgateway.com/directory/detail.php?location=47&page=1

 

 

Do you have any pictures?  I'm not in Ohio right now, so I can't do any field trips.

There is a Whole Foods Market in Boston near the Symphony "T" stop (15 Westland Ave.)  Was a Stop-n-Shop when I lived there if memory serves.  Parking garage is on top of the store, very urban area not too far from a number of universities and Prudential.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/symphony/index.html

 

Speaking of Predential, there was a Star Market on the north side of the huge mixed-use complex when I lived there.  Now a Shaw's is part of the retail mix (but no longer in the same location where Star was.)

http://www.prudentialcenter.com/shop/shop_detail.php?id=41

 

Here's a map of the place:

http://www.prudentialcenter.com/map/

 

that's the ugliest whole foods I've ever seen.

 

I'd be chased off Nantucket if I ever presented them with a photo of that.

 

The main problem I'm facing is loading dock areas.  I have an idea of where to place there.  I don't think any semi's can come through town...so I don't think I need traditional loading docks...which makes me wonder why my boss has had me researching this all day.

 

These Cape Copers are a silly bunch when it comes to designing new buildings.

A couple Urban Ohio Threads that may be of interest:

 

Urban Costco in BC:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=11764.msg157112#msg157112

 

The Brewer's Yard Kroger in Columbus:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=2906.msg27894#msg27894

i liked what i saw on mr. andersons recent portland photo thread, very nantucket approved yuppie styles:

 

the whole foods hq/grocery in austin is pretty cool. check it out on this thread:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3254.0

 

of course most manhattan groceries would be of interest. some names to google around for there are: d'agostinos, associated, western beef, key foods, fairway, garden of eden, gristedes, & food emporium.

 

good luck, let us know what you find!

I would recommend the reuse of any existing warehouse type structure.  You typically have large/open floor plans that would lend themselves well to a grocery store.  The great thing about urban retail is that they can be in just about any structure.  The buildings aren't built for a singular purpose like suburban construction and can easily be reused.

 

As you can see from the Portland pics, these are grocery stores but they could just as easily be: coffee shops, day spas, bookstores, offices, galleries, etc.

 

What I would do is find an abandoned warehouse that is about 3-4 stories tall that fits your 15,000 sq. ft. need on the first level (multi-level groceries can get tricky).  Recommend the development of the grocery on the first level and parking for the above levels (if structurally feasible).  This would allow the developer to collect extra revenue from parking that is over the demand that is needed for the store.  Free parking for customers, and extra revenue for the individual who cleaned up and reused an old building.

Possibly the closest I've seen to ideal (although it doesn't fit the odd waterfront condition) is the Dominick's in Chicago @ Sheffield and Fullerton.  Prominent corner location, two-stories, semi-hidden rear parking garage, immediately adjacent to transit, it's got it all.  I don't have sq. footage numbers, but I highly recommend looking into it.

From a Penn website, the relatively new FreshGrocer is about 36,000 sq. ft.  It's adjacent to Penn and has a multi-story garage on top.

 

 

Whole Foods has done a very good job with the design of their stores in DC. The P Street store sits right at the sidewalk and has parking garages underneath and on top of the store. The Georgetown store is very similar. The photos on their website don't properly convey how well the stores interact with the street or how easily accessible they are to both pedestrians and  drivers.

Here's a fun GIF, in an Urbanohio sort of way...

 

http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/cities/urb-anim-illo/urb-to-sub-3.gif

While maybe not a great example for you in all respects Cleveland's downtown grocery store, Constantino's, does have a nice patio area where people can dine al fresco on the prepared foods that they bought inside.  This could be appropriate for your site, which has a nice harbor view.

 

edit: I mispelled Constantino's.  The proper spelling will probably help should you decide to look it up, eh?

Yeah, I used the IGA to figure out reasonable walking distances from the door to the parking since I'm going to orient the store to the water front....still can't quite figure out why my town wants to waste a habour view on a grocery store, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to provide downtown services.

 

I somehow missed this post the first time around.  May I ask where is this "town" that you are dealing with?  This might be helpful for us to know...what kind of building stock, architecture, scale, etc.  This is all relevant information here...

From a Penn website, the relatively new FreshGrocer is about 36,000 sq. ft.  It's adjacent to Penn and has a multi-story garage on top.

 

 

There is good Whole Foods on South Street in Philly that might be useful. As a model the Fresh Grocer would seem to fit.

 

That Fresh Grocer might be the most overpriced grocery store on earth, thank god for Trader Joes on the subway line.

Yeah, I used the IGA to figure out reasonable walking distances from the door to the parking since I'm going to orient the store to the water front....still can't quite figure out why my town wants to waste a habour view on a grocery store, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to provide downtown services.

 

I somehow missed this post the first time around.  May I ask where is this "town" that you are dealing with?  This might be helpful for us to know...what kind of building stock, architecture, scale, etc.  This is all relevant information here...

 

she mentioned nantucket, the super yuppie richy rich island off cape cod. nice place to visit but....so they are going to be hella picky about it for sure. i'd be interested to see what she comes up with.

 

^I once knew a man from Nantucket..

 

Hey X's idea is perfect; outdoor patio with a harbor view. That would be a great way to market the place!

Well here is a streetscape in downtown Nantucket: