(19 Jan 2022 - FRESNO) Recent activity at the old Lowe's owned OSH store has drawn attention to the plaza and a new discovery. Originally thinking there may be signs of a new tenant for the OSH, it was hard to tell if the real estate company simply sold the property to another broker who was perfroming work on it to bring up the market value. However, it has since become evident that the vacant building was simply broken into and vagrants were living inside. The building has now been secured until a prospective tenant expresses interest.
This movement did, however, give us some updated maps showing a Jiffy Lube planned for the plaza. This automotive location has only recently appeared on site maps in the SE corner of the shopping plaza.
Meanwhile, the wait continues for a new tenant in the almost 50k sq foot retail anchor building. While it's already been confirmed that Trader Joe's has no plans for Fresno and Sprouts is not interested in NW Fresno at this time, there are many other possibilities for the Orchard Supply Hardware space including the 'Fresno standards': Ross, dd's Discounts, conversion from retail to office / private wharehouse (think: Fresno Police Department at Shaw & Marks), or another gym or furniture store. Or perhaps a new page will be turned and something the community would appreciate will give the location a chance like: 'At Home', Apple Store, an expanded Ace Hardware, or even (dare we hope) Whole Foods (yes, the square footage is perfect for that). For now, the building remains vacant and aging. Time will tell. So will Fresno.
Have any of these developers looked around this area have they not noticed the new apartments, retirement home and hundreds of potential customers that need a convenient grocery store that is within walking distance. Come on fresno make this area something that is usefull to the hundreds of hard working people that surround it. Make it something we can walk to enjoy not an eye sore business that will fail within a couple of years. Fresno needs a gathering place grocery stores retail shops restaurants. Not a jiffy lube. Lets take pride in this neighborhood .
Whole Foods, Sprouts, Traders Joe's. Best