A south side Costco store could go up as early as March 2011 if the city approves plans that have been submitted by developers Eastbourne Investments Ltd. and Retail West.
The store is part of the long-term, 350-acre Bridges Project, which will include retail and residential developments, as well as a University of Arizona biosciences park. The project is located on the southwest corner of Kino Boulevard and 36th Street.
Eric Davis, president of Retail West Properties, said that the company owns the property and Costco is interested in it.Mark Kerr, aide to Tucson Councilman Richard Fimbres of Ward 5, said that the new store would mean an "economic boom" for the south side and all of Tucson.
"Costco, even during these economic times, has a sound business model," Kerr said. "They offer jobs with great pay and great benefits — 401Ks."
The Tucson City Council expects that the convenience of the superstore will attract people to the south side who would not otherwise think of going there, Kerr said.
Kerr said that he has not heard of any opposition to the project. However, in March 2007, Councilwoman Karin Uhlich voted against the development, voicing her opposition to a "big-box" store, which was once predicted to be a Wal-Mart. The council ultimately voted 6-1 to allow the developers to move forward.
Small retailers, such as Jose Gonzalez who runs a fruit and nut stand on the corner of Campbell Avenue and Irvington Road, worry the proposed store will draw customers away. Gonzalez said he thinks the new store will benefit the community but might take away from his business as a private seller.
News of the development has managers of neighborhood groceries fretting as well.
"Of course, no one's happy with bringing in any competitor of any kind," said Ramon Lopez, the store director at Food City, 2950 S. Sixth Ave. "I would rather they all stay away."
However, Lopez said that he is unfamiliar with a big package competitor like Costco. He said that Food City's business might not suffer because the chain deals with smaller, lower-volume items whereas Costco tends to sell items in bulk.
Davis said that the Bridges Project as a whole will increase tax revenues and generate traffic in the area.
The proposed Costco would be the third location in Tucson.
Davis said that depending on how long it takes to get approval to start construction, on top of the basic infrastructure, March 2011 is the earliest date that the store could open.
"We've got a lot of work to do in a short amount of time, but our engineers are in the middle of it and we feel good about it," he said.
