Photo by Jon Anderson
This map shows the planned location of a 20-acre, 200-square-foot commercial development with a big-box grocery wholesaler at the corner of Valleydale Road and Inverness Center Drive in Hoover, Alabama (shown here next to the Danberry at Inverness retirement community.
The Hoover City Council plans to hold a public forum Thursday night, June 5, where community members can directly engage with their elected officials regarding a planned new shopping center at the intersection of Valleydale Road and Inverness Center Drive.
The 200,000-square-foot retail shopping center with a big-box grocery retailer drew significant opposition when it was presented to the Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission and rejected two years ago.
But the developer, Alumni Properties and Investments, removed a 16-pump gasoline station and liquor store that had originally been planned and made changes to traffic and landscape plans in an attempt to address nearby residents’ concerns.
The new plan met the land’s current zoning requirements, meaning there were no changes that required consideration by the city’s zoning board or City Council.
Meanwhile, the city of Hoover has approved the revised site plan, and the city, Shelby County and ALDOT have approved the traffic plans, said Keith Owens, managing partner for Alumni Properties. Also, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has approved an erosion control plan for the site, he said. A month ago, the developer said he was still working on final approval of leases with tenants.
The shopping center is set to go up across Valleydale from Inverness Corners and next to Inverness Plaza. The developer has not specified the name of the big-box wholesaler or other potential tenants. He identified it only as “big-box membership grocery concept,” but numerous residents who have had meetings with the developer identified it as a BJ’s Wholesale Club store, and Owens did not refute that assertion.
Apparently, residents still wanted an audience with elected officials, so the city set up a time for residents to air concerns or ask questions immediately following the Hoover City Council’s June 5 work session, which starts at 5:30 p.m. at Hoover City Hall at 100 Municipal Lane.
See more about changes to the original plan here.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:33 p.m. on June 5 to correct the first name of the managing partner of Alumni Properties and Investments. His name is Keith Owens.
