NORFOLK, Va. — Things are looking a little bit different in Norfolk's Wards Corner community.
Demolition is underway on the former Kroger grocery store off Little Creek Road, between Tidewater Drive and Granby Street.
The city's planning commission approved the plans in 2023. In April of this year, Norfolk's city council approved the plans which include demolishing the former Kroger and Work Force Development Center.
A previous statement from the city's Department of Economic Development calls it a big box retailer with a grocery component.
There have been rumors about which business could move in, but the city hasn't made an official announcement.
The application for the conditional use permit calls the facility a "large high-quality general merchandise retail store that will include a grocery." It goes on to say "The retailer has a national footprint with stores in all 50 states and over $1 billion in sales for 2022."
Thursday, a company spokesperson echoed their statement when News 3 reached out in 2023 saying, "We are continually evaluating potential store locations to serve new guests, but I don’t have any new-store news to share at this time."
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One business rumored to be coming to the location is Target. However, the company has repeatedly told News 3 they are "evaluating potential store locations to serve new guests" and did not have any information to share about a new store.
In a prior interview, News 3 asked Mayor Kenny Alexander if the city has had any conversations with Target about bringing a store to Wards Corner.
"The city’s having conversations with all of the big box retailers, including Target," Alexander responded. "We continue to have conversations with all of the retailers from Target, to Walmart, you name it."
According to the proposal, the 125,00 square-foot facility would employ around 150 people.
