Kohl's plans to construct new store at old Collinsville Wal-Mart site

Sep 20, 2008 (Belleville News-Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune News Service via COMTEX) -- KSS | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Sep. 20--COLLINSVILLE -- A Kohl's department store is close to opening on the site of the former Wal-Mart store on Belt Line Road.

City Council members will vote Monday night on a plan to bring the retail chain to town.

The City Planning Commission recently approved a plan to bring the big-box retailer to the former Wal-Mart location at 601 Belt Line Road. The plan calls for the existing building to be razed and a new 93,000-square-foot store to be built in its place with a new parking lot and landscaping. Another 6,000-square-foot area will be built to accommodate another potential retailer.

U.S. Properties Group of Columbus, Ohio, bought the 99,364-square-foot building earlier this year. The building was vacated after a new 204,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in June 2007 at the 53-acre Collinsville Crossing shopping center off Illinois 157.

Collinsville Community Development Director Paul Mann said the new Kohl's store will be built on the site and will lease the space from U.S. Properties Group. It could open before the end of next year.

"It's a home run for the city, Mann said. "No doubt about it. It's a home run for Belt Line Road."

He also said the city had talked with Kohl's and a number of other possible retailers, including Hobby Lobby, Old Time Pottery and Garden Ridge, since the space became available.

Mann said the city is not offering Kohl's or U.S. Properties Group any financial incentives to locate in the city.

"Everything takes time, but in general, the time it took till we could fill that site after Wal-Mart left was quick," Mann said. "This was record timing. It's usually three to four years. This took a year, a year-and-a-half. We are able to secure new business in there in record time. We were beating the bushes and being proactive."

The city is hoping the new store could also anchor additional retail outlets. Mann said self-standing fast-food restaurants could be built on the outlots -- the space in front of the Kohl's store.

"This is a catalyst for future interest in Belt Line and Vandalia (Street)," he said. "There is a lot of excitement and a lot of interest by potential developers and retailers."

The council will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

Contact Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 345-7822, ext. 24.

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