The store is slated for construction along the new Highway 25
bypass between Meridean Street and Hillcrest Road. Developers at
first had estimated a late 2008 completion for the project, while
county planners in the spring cleared the project for
construction.
HOLLISTER
A local developer and a planning official have said construction to the Hollister Lowe’s project has been put off until July, while a company spokeswoman today noted in an e-mail to the Free Lance that there’s no current timetable for beginning work on it.
Frank Guerra, a developer and former co-owner of the plot, said the reason for the delay is “totally the economy.” The store is slated for construction along the new Highway 25 bypass between Meridean Street and Hillcrest Road. Developers at first had estimated a late 2008 completion for the project, while county planners in the spring cleared the project for construction.
Although Guerra and Hollister Planning Manager Mary Paxton relayed a potential summer 2009 groundbreaking, the company official said otherwise.
“Thanks for your call today asking about a new Lowe’s store in Hollister,” responded Lowe’s spokeswoman Karen Cobb in an e-mail to the Free Lance. “We’ve announced our intentions to build a store in Hollister, but haven’t confirmed a timeline for the construction.”
Guerra, who sold the property to Lowe’s for the development, has been trying to work with a broker to get more businesses in the stores surrounding the home improvement giant’s proposed location in the designed shopping center.
“(We are) matching people who are interested in coming to town with locations,” said Guerra.
San Benito County Planning Director Art Henriques said officials “haven’t heard anything recently” and added that Lowe’s has paid its permit fee but hasn’t picked up the document itself, which has been ready since July.
Henriques said everything is ready to go once Lowe’s wants to move ahead and that officials would be “delighted to have them come in and pick up their permit.”
According to Guerra, Lowe’s had been anxious to start construction prior to the economic downturn. He added that the company has postponed building projects in other locations for the same reason.
Paxton said there’s nothing stopping Lowe’s from breaking ground from the planning end of things.
“They are in a good position to start construction when they are ready,” Paxton said. “They have all their approvals.”
