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New Seasons Market considers 23rd and Union in search of second Seattle location

Screen-Shot-2016-02-16-at-4.11.19-PM-600x385UnknownThe Portland-based grocer vying for the marquee space at the future Capitol Hill Station development has expanded its search for a location near Capitol Hill.

Developers behind a project at northwest corner of 23rd and Union tell CHS that New Seasons Market has expressed an interest in taking over the future building’s 18,000-square-foot ground-level retail space. No leases have been signed and New Seasons declined to comment about any specific locations the company was scouting except to say that it was excited about the prospect of landing near Capitol Hill. The grocer is opening its first Seattle location in Ballard next year.

The Lake Union Partners project at 2220 E Union will replace the intersection’s gas station, community garden area, and former boxing gym with a six-story, 144-unit  “market -rate apartment building” planned to stand 65-feet tall includes underground parking.

The main retail space will be geared for a small format grocer, said Lake Union Partners principal Pat Foley. “When we started meeting with the neighborhood we heard that people wanted an independent market,” he said.

New Seasons received some public push back when it came out that the company was an early frontrunner to occupy the future development above the recently opened subway station at Broadway and Denny Way. News of the 19-store grocery chain coming to Seattle prompted a group of unions and advocacy organizations to send a letter to the Sound Transit Board saying they were concerned with “an anti-union climate” at the company. CHS recently reported on Central Co-op’s aspirations to takeover the anchor tenant space.

In a statement to CHS, New Seasons touted its B Corporation certification, focus on local and sustainable products, and above industry wages as evidence of its progressive values. “Capitol Hill is a vibrant community and we are excited by the potential of being part of the neighborhood,” the company said in a statement.

East Union is the second development for Lake Union Parters on 23rd and Union. After starting construction in May of 2014, six-story apartment development The Central is now open for new tenants on the southwest corner of the intersection. The corner retail space at The Central remains open after e-bike dealer Electric Lady opened in April and Squirrel Chops cafe+salon cafe+salon opens next door later this year. Foley said he envisions a family focused cafe or possibly a hardware store moving into the space.

Between the two projects, Lake Union will have spent $7.9 million on property alone to create around 240 apartment units, nearly 16,000 square feet of commercial space, and parking for some 160 cars.

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Jack
Jack
7 years ago

Grocery Outlet will always get my business. Prices we can afford.

oliveoyl
oliveoyl
7 years ago
Reply to  Jack

won’t it be nice to have options?

Bingle
Bingle
7 years ago
Reply to  Jack

Whole Foods isn’t really an option for most people

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
7 years ago
Reply to  Jack

Yes, we do absolutely love good ole ‘GrossOut. They provide many jobs to neighborhood residents.

Miss Ruby
Miss Ruby
7 years ago

WAHOOO!!!

LizWas
LizWas
7 years ago

Yes, please. We’ll take it!

DG
DG
7 years ago

I and many others hope they get the spot above light rail!

Tuck
Tuck
7 years ago
Reply to  DG

I don’t. Central is local and been in the neighborhood foreva. Plus they isn’t all total squares like the rest of cap hill is becoming.

cloey
cloey
7 years ago

Please bring a Metropolitan Market to Capitol Hill.

Zach
Zach
7 years ago

Please build a supermarket in belltown! x_x

FreddyG
FreddyG
7 years ago

I used to live in Portland, this is a fantastic grocery chain. Much much better than PCC.

Brad
Brad
7 years ago
Reply to  FreddyG

And much, much better than Central Coop. Please put it above the new light rail!!!

RWK
RWK
7 years ago
Reply to  FreddyG

I don’t shop regularly at PCC, but I think it is an excellent market….especially their produce section. Not inexpensive, but worth it. So if New Seasons is even better, bring it on! (to the light rail station). I can hardly wait to dump the mediocre-to-lousy QFC in favor of better quality.

Daniel Cobb
Daniel Cobb
7 years ago

New Seasons Market is a low road option. An anti-union grocer with expensive/inadequate health insurance for its workers, five times as many OSHA violations as comparable local/union options like PCC or Metropolitan Market, and a food safety record with 20% more violations than aforementioned local/union options. I sincerely hope Lake Union Partners can find a better option.

Brad
Brad
7 years ago
Reply to  Daniel Cobb

Does not having unionized employees truly make it “anti-union”? Have the employees tried organizing and were thwarted? Or do you just want it to be a local option, like Central Co-op?

Data Driven
Data Driven
7 years ago
Reply to  Daniel Cobb

Please provide data on your claims of OSHA and food safety violations. Include the data on all other stores in Portland including union stores like Safeway and Fred Meyer.

Some of us do not appreciate union bullies this a single issue matter in their minds.

bb
bb
7 years ago
Reply to  Daniel Cobb

Data? Union activists don’t need no stinkin’ data to make unfounded claims.

Betty
Betty
7 years ago

Has there been any resolution on the union-busting controversy?

E
E
7 years ago

Come to 23rd & Union! That corner is so ready for a great grocery store. Many of us in the neighborhood can’t wait to shop there!

Andrew
Andrew
7 years ago

Yes please!

Erik
Erik
7 years ago

New Seasons is great and would be a very welcome addition to 23rd and Union!

former shopper
former shopper
7 years ago

New Seasons hates free speech in the workplace, and Capitol Hill is no place for such an employer:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2012/04/04/update-new-seasons-firing-of-ryan-gaughan-ruled-wrong

future shopper
future shopper
7 years ago
Reply to  former shopper

It’s actually the Central District and they will be welcome with open arms.

Tuck
Tuck
7 years ago

Ah yes, let the gentrification march on. Oh yeah, you can thank your local union bully for those nice wages and benefits all us blue collar types enjoy. We’re not your serfs!

Robby
Robby
7 years ago

New Seasons and their low road financiers, Endeavor Capital, a Portland Equity firm, are profit-driven at all costs. They also fund Zoom Care, a health care clinic network that won’t accept Medicare, Medicaid, & Tricare (Veterans). Portland friends say that when the original New Seasons was bought by the present owners, they became a predatory uncaring employer. Compare that to Central Co-Op which is a real asset to our Capitol Hill community. They should be obstructed any place they try to expand.

Susan M DalSanto
Susan M DalSanto
7 years ago

New Seasons is just another corporate owned, green washed, Whole-Foods knock off. They act all like they care about sustainability and helping the community but they are owned by an equity firm fixated on profit. PCC is a much better choice for our neighborhood.

Mike B.
Mike B.
7 years ago

I worked for NSM for almost 10 years, so glad I left. During that time I saw what was once a pretty unique vision turn into a corporate nightmare. Upper management is all from Starbucks & Whole Foods and sadly is out of touch with the company’s original Mission. The health plan is a joke, and there is no room for advancement unless you’re in the inner sanctum. The whole focus is on marketing and green washing with the ultimate goal of making a few equity stock guys millions.

Mike B.
Mike B.
7 years ago

Here’s a nice article about a New seasons executive having a fund raiser for Jeb Bush! Very progressive:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2015/04/17/new-seasons-board-member-will-raise-big-money-for-jeb-bush-next-week

lisa
lisa
7 years ago

And there is going to be a PCC in Madison Valley (good bye City People’s), a Whole Foods on Broadway & Madison, Central Co-Op (either at their current location or on Broadway) and when Vulcan is done with 23rd & Jackson there will probably be another similar grocer there. I’d like more options than I currently have, but this is all going to be a bit overkill IMHO. It would be nice if at least one of these groceries would be geared towards the type of foods some of the different ethnic groups in the neighborhood like to eat. Complain as much as you like about Red Apple, but at least my husband can buy goat to make curry goat or chicken backs for example. My son is Celiac so I appreciate the “health food” stores for their variety of GF foods, but we can’t all afford their prices either. (To be upfront, I’m a Central Co-Op member!).

brogamemnon
brogamemnon
7 years ago

Workers in our community expect to be treated fairly by their employer. But New Seasons has shown its true colors by offering workers healthcare that is either too expensive or inadequate. Bring in a store that respects it’s workers!