Grocery Store Progress

When is the old building going to be torn down? 
 
As most of you know, Stafford County Economic Development purchased the site where LJ & J Automotive had been for several years as a location for constructing a new grocery store.  In order to carry out this project, federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be used, as well as a possible loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a portion of costs.  These federal funds come with requirements to ensure that the funding is not being used in conflict with other federal programs, regulations, or local comprehensive planning.  In the case of this project, we have to go through a process to demonstrate that neither the demolition of the existing building, nor the new construction, would violate any of these requirements.  We have to notify a number of entities who have an opportunity to either protest the plan or require that mitigating measures be taken.  Therefore, we are going through a process of notifying the below tribes and agencies of the project.  

Here's a list of the tribes we've had to contact to proceed:

• Cheyenne and Arapo Tribes
• Osage Nation
• Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, Stafford & Tawakonie)

​Here's a list of the agencies we've had to contact to proceed:

• Kansas State Historical Society
• Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism
• Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment
• Kansas Dept. of Transportation
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• City of St. John

As of the writing of this article, we have written consent from KS Historical Society, but are waiting on an answer from KS Department of Health and Environment for demolition.  An asbestos inspector has inspected the premises and we are waiting on those results as well.  Others on the list will need to respond within a prescribed period of time related to construction.  We hope the building will be demolished by the end of 2017.  Construction is expected to begin in early 2018.

***This does not prohibit us from tearing down the building or proceeding with construction, it simply means we have to go through a process and adhere to requirements to get to those exciting steps.