HOLLISTER
Developers of the planned Lowe’s in Hollister have put off scheduled construction of the 140,000-square-foot building until 2010, said Frank Guerra, the property owner who sold the land for the home-improvement store.
Frank Guerra told the Free Lance he attended a meeting a few weeks ago at which representatives from the city and county – which included two council members and two supervisors – along with a representative from Lowe’s met and discussed the latest prospects for the development.
That’s where he learned Lowe’s has pushed back its planned groundbreaking at the site to some point 2010, while Guerra expressed confidence the store’s construction will remain on the company’s dwindling list of new projects.
“They said it’s not going to be built this year,” Frank Guerra said. “It’s planned to be started in 2010.”
Project developer Al Guerra, Frank’s brother, said he is working with Lowe’s to get an update regarding when the store might start constructing.
“I’ve been working on it daily,” Al Guerra said.
“Lowe’s has been here, they like everything with the bypass, the exposure,” he said. “They own the property and the building permit, and we are high on their list.”
Frank Guerra pointed out that he was pleased with government officials’ involvement and their offer to the developer – that they were willing to help out however they can to speed up the adjusted time frame.
“The city stepped up and offered to see if there’s something they can do to move them up on the list,” he said.
Currently, the city is looking at ways to help move the project forward. During a recent meeting with Lowe’s representatives, Avera said the city would be willing to do anything it could do to expedite the process.
“What would it take for them to move quicker?” he recalled saying.
Avera said that Lowe’s will be getting back to the city regarding potential ideas to further the project along.
Frank Guerra noted, however, that there were only four new Lowe’s stores planned in the Western states this year.
“They’ve cut everything way back,” he said. “They haven’t stopped building stores. They’ve scaled way back.”
Al Guerra said that while Hollister is high on the list of projects, Paso Robles is moving ahead of Hollister for getting a new store.
“Lowe’s are going ahead with openings – they are just not opening as many,” Al Guerra said.
“We don’t really have anything that isn’t encouraging,” he said. “There’s no danger that it isn’t going to happen – it should have already happened.”
The Guerra family owns property adjacent to the approved Lowe’s along the Highway 25 bypass between Meridian Street and Hillcrest Road. They plan to develop 13 separate buildings around the Lowe’s center.
He has been in “loose negotiations” with some potential tenants, but Frank Guerra said he expects other business’ interest to grow once Lowe’s starts building. Al Guerra also said that there has been interest in some of the spaces available for development and he expects to get an offer soon from a retailer.
Along with a Lowe’s, the development will also feature various other business opportunities including other retailers and restaurants.
“It will open other opportunities, if Lowe’s is the anchor, in terms of attracting other businesses,” Avera said. ” It’s a pretty big deal.”
Editor Kollin Kosmicki contributed to this report.
