Shuttered Wheaton Jewel space set to be redeveloped

A year after the Jewel Food Store in downtown Wheaton closed its doors, city leaders have renewed hope that the now-empty structure will be redeveloped as a grocery store.

CVS Caremark Corp. and Supervalu Inc. - Jewel-Osco's parent company - are poised to sort out their co-ownership of the 19,500-square-foot building along Willow Avenue.

As part of a deal expected to be approved within the next three months, Supervalu plans to acquire CVS' share of the site and become the property's sole owner, a Jewel-Osco spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday.

"At that point, it's our intent to market the property for sale," said Karen May, a communications manager with Jewel-Osco.

That's great news for Mayor Mike Gresk, who was notified by letter last week about the pending deal. Because CVS and Supervalu are competitors, there were concerns that one wouldn't relinquish control of the property to the other.

"I am ecstatic," Gresk said. "Nothing is going to happen there tomorrow and maybe not this year. But at least there is movement, and it's going in the right direction."

Gresk said representatives from Supervalu would like to meet with city officials soon after the deal is finalized to discuss marketing and redevelopment options for the parcel.

"My first preference is to replace it with what had been there for the last 40 years," Gresk said, "a store with food, liquor and a pharmacy."

When the downtown Jewel was closed last February, it needed a great deal of work and was landlocked, missing the space Jewel-Osco considered essential. company officials said.

Still, if the property were to become available for sale, Gresk said he's confident a replacement grocer wouldn't be difficult to find. At least one chain already has expressed interest.

"Even with the state of the economy," Gresk said, "I still think it's very attractive (as a grocery store location)."

Wheaton leaders are so determined to see another grocery store downtown that several have mentioned the Hubble Middle School property as a possible location.

That 22-acre parcel at Naperville and Roosevelt roads will become available for redevelopment after the new Hubble opens in Warrenville. Real estate consultants and a steering committee are expected to take two years to determine the best use for that site.