May 02, 2013
By MICHAEL SIMMONS
Is a Target store coming to Madison?
That appears to be the case. On Monday, at a mayoral debate between Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler and opponent John Bell Crosby, Hawkins-Butler announced the news to an estimated crowd of 700.
“Mary, I wanted to thank you and the city staff for working with the Target design team to determine elevations acceptable to both Target and the city of Madison,” an email stated between the mayor and Stephen Eggert, regional real estate manager for Target Corporation.
On Tuesday, Hawkins-Butler wouldn’t expound, saying details are not being released at this time. She did say that the elevations, the store’s design, had been approved by the company.
On May 13, The Seitz Group out of Frisco, Texas, is scheduled to appear before the Madison Planning Commission. The Seitz Group is planning a development off 463 on Grandview Boulevard that would include a proposed Target store.
Other details as to when construction would begin are unknown.
In 2011-2012, GBT Realty, a Tennessee-based development firm, had proposed a $31 million, 26-acre Madison Promenade project off Galleria Parkway, but those plans stalled when city officials were reluctant to issue a $4 million TIF (tax increment financing) for the project.
“We don’t have a problem giving a TIF, but we need to know what we’re getting for the value,” Hawkins-Butler said at the time. “They’re welcome to build a Target on the site without the $4 million, but if they want a TIF they’ve got to bring something to the table.”
In other developmental news, construction on a new Walgreen’s in Madison continues.
Bill Foshee, head of building and permits for the city, said things are moving smoothly at the site located on the corner of Highland Colony Parkway and Highway 463.
“We issued the permit in October of last year,” he said. “Basically, in two months we’ll be done with it or somewhere in that area It’ll be open by summer. It took awhile to get started because of the weather but it took off as of late.”
