The City of Monroe is holding a public hearing Tuesday on a rezone that is the next step in the development of Monroe Pavilion, the major retail development that will include hotels or a hotel and business center, retail stores and the long-awaited premier grocery store. The property for this development lies north of the city center, on the other side of US 78 and between Charlotte Rowell Blvd and State Route 11. Although Kroger was the first grocery store mentioned, it would appear of late that a Publix is more likely.
“I can’t admit that it’s going to be a Publix. It seems to be that Publix is the grocery store of choice by this particular developer,” Monroe Mayor John Howard said in a recent interview with Darrell Everidge for Focus.
John Argo is the principal developer of MAB American Management LLC – the company developing the retail center. Representatives will be at Monroe City Hall for the 6 a.m. Work Session and Called Meeting of the Monroe City Council on Tuesday, July 2 to ask for a rezone from B3 to PCD (Planned Commercial District) as the next step in the development. The City signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MAB American LLC, the Rowell Family Partnership LLLP and Jane J. Still in August last year in order to begin the process of getting the infrastructure in place to begin the development. A road, currently named “Retail Boulevard,” will need to be constructed between SR 11 and Charlotte Rowell Blvd. Also proposed are modifications to the interchange of US 78 and SR 138.
Howard said although he does not have the timeline, the developer expects to close on the property in the fall and if construction is able to begin by the end of the year, he can’t imagine that it would take more than a year for construction. The initial plan at the time of signing the MOU was to be ready for occupation by the summer of 2020.
The community is invited to the Public Hearing Tuesday to weigh in on the rezone application.
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