Giant Eagle is planning to join a new development in Franklinton, bringing more grocery options for downtown Columbus residents.
A 20,000 square-foot version of the upscale Giant Eagle Market District grocery store concept will be at the ground floor of the 15-story Peninsula development at Broad and Belle Streets. Downtown Columbus Inc. announced the new tenant on Tuesday.
The store will be housed on the ground floor and have fresh groceries, ready-to-eat meals and beer and wine. Once complete, it will be along a key corridor with a new bus rapid transit line from the Central Ohio Transit Authority and the Capital Line multi-use trail that loops from downtown to Franklinton.
The store will be much smaller than a typical grocery store and even one of the supermarket's smaller "express" concepts in Bexley. The Bexley store is 30,000 square feet while the Grandview Yard development's Market District is over 94,000 square feet.
Downtown residents have been calling for more grocery options in the neighborhood for years. The 2022 Downtown Strategic Plan specifically cited a desire for a grocery store within walking distance.
The nearest grocery stores for residents is the Kroger in the Brewery District and the Lucky's Market in Victorian Village.
This is the second announcement this year of a new grocery tenant after Toro Meat Market announced a new location on Gay Street.
Business leaders think it will be a draw for new residents.
Downtown Columbus Incorporated Chairman Alex Fischer said the store helps, but downtown will have to attract more than just a grocery store to reach a goal of doubling its population by 2040.
"My belief is, you know, we're sort of halfway home and a long way to go, and we've got to keep making strategic investments to ensure that we reach the aggressive ambitions that we have," Fischer said.
Fischer said nabbing a tenant like this can also lead to more retail and more development in the area.
"We're trying to do everything that we can to not only serve the residents of downtown Columbus, create more people interested in moving downtown, but also to be a destination from others throughout the region, who wanna visit, shop, eat, play in the downtown area as well," Fischer said.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said in a news release the addition of Giant Eagle to The Peninsula marks a transformational moment for Downtown Columbus, bringing access to fresh food for the residents of Downtown and Franklinton.
“Strategically located at the intersection of major developments and along the future LinkUS corridor and the Capital Line, this store will help Downtown Columbus meet growing residential demand and remain competitive with other thriving metros," Ginther said.
Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin said in the news release that the Giant Eagle will be an anchor for the neighborhood.
"This new grocery store is a promise kept to the residents and workers of Downtown who have long asked for one,” Hardin said.
Downtown Columbus Inc. owns the Peninsula property and oversees the project. The project's developers are the Daimler Group and Flaherty & Collins.
This development has been repeatedly downsized over time. What started as a 30-plus story building has been reduced to 15 stories. The building will also include apartments and a parking garage that grocery shoppers can use.
Construction is expected to begin next spring and take two years to complete.
