Construction on a new Trader Joe's location in mid-Michigan could begin in coming weeks after months of delays.
In late 2021, Meridian Township was approached about a potential redevelopment on the southeast corner of Grand River Avenue and Northwind Drive. The proposal set to establish a specialty grocery store at one of the township's main commercial corridors. At the time, Trader Joe's was working with East Lansing-based Strathmore Real Estate Group.
A building permit was issued in early 2022, but according to township officials, the development was put on hold due to industry shortages of steel.
"They started construction and did some work on the underground foundations, and construction was paused in late 2022," said Tim Schmitt, Meridian Township’s Community Planning and Development Director.
The building delays came amid a criminal investigation of one of the project's developers. In October 2022, Scott Chappelle, one of the owners of Strathmore Real Estate Group, was sentenced in federal court to more than three years in prison for tax evasion.
Trader Joe's is now working with Minnesota-based Thomas Grace Construction on the project. A request for comment from the grocer went unanswered at the time of this story's publication.
Planners said they expect the building's exterior to be completed within nine months.
"Then they will apply for the interior build-out permit, which is the actual fit and finish that the average person sees when they go into a commercial facility," Schmitt explained. "That secondary permit will be issued separately to the developers involved in the project."
Due to the project delays, a previous permit for exterior construction expired. Meridian Township issued a new license late last month and more activity on the building site is expected in the coming weeks.
"They will probably get new construction fencing up around the site and start ordering the materials needed," said Schmitt. "It's been a fun project thus far, and we're excited to see the redevelopment because we're getting close to being pretty built out as a community."
