Here’s what we know: The Kroger supermarket, which has called Belle Meade Plaza home for the past 45 years, will soon be moving to a new location on the other side of Harding Pike.
And here’s what we don’t know: When.
It was recently announced the Kroger store will leave the Plaza to take over a space previously occupied by Harris Teeter at 4301 Harding Pike in the old Belle Meade Theater building. In 2014, Kroger completed its $2.4 billion acquisition of Harris Teeter.
Kroger’s move will take place no matter what the outcome is of the proposed redevelopment of Belle Meade Plaza that goes before the Metro Planning Commission Feb. 9.
At a recent community meeting at Montgomery Bell Academy, a Kroger representative was asked how much of a gap there would be from the time its 2024 lease at the Plaza expires to when the new Kroger opens.
“I don’t have an answer for that. Obviously, it’s to be determined,” said John Corbitt, senior real estate manager for the Kroger chain in Nashville. “The timing is still to be determined.
“We’re working with the existing owner and look forward to working with AJ Capital on trying to extend that to bridge the gap.”
Later in the meeting, another attendee asked about parking at the new Kroger location compared to the limited number of spaces at Belle Meade Plaza.
“The surface level parking we have where we are today is not anywhere near enough,” he said. “We’ve got the parking deck next door that we can use but it’s still not enough. We’ve got better plans I think for the new location. It should be much better parking.”
The Kroger departure will be a key element to the redevelopment plans of AJ Capital Partners’ since the building sits above Sugartree Creek and Richland Creek.
“Kroger’s plan to move is separate from this development, but I know that in our minds it is still intertwined,” District 24 Councilwoman Kathleen Murphy says.
At the Jan. 5 community meeting, Hastings Architecture principal William Hastings talked about turning the location into green space that will serve to enhance the mixed-use project and the four residential/retail towers to be built.
“We plan on improving (the creeks) dramatically,” Hastings said. “They come together under the Kroger, and you would never be able to build that Kroger today.
“The Kroger built over that Creek (today) wouldn’t be allowed, and our plan is to celebrate the stream and the habitat in a much different way.”
Kroger’s move and the Plaza redevelopment plan aren’t the only major projects taking place in Belle Meade.
On the other side of White Bridge Road, where the Publix supermarket sits, there’s an expansion project already in motion.
“Saint Thomas has an SP zoning approved years ago that they have not started building on,” Murphy says.
In the same parcel is Picnic Café, which is moving this spring to a location at the Highway 100/Highway 70 split. That site includes Escape Day Spa, the 360 Bistro and other businesses.
Meanwhile, a project on White Bridge Road and Post Road – 21 White Bridge Road – is not moving forward at present, Murphy says. Initial plans for the project include a nine-story office building and an eight-story apartment complex on the 4.29-acre site that includes several businesses and restaurants, including Five Guys, Half-Priced Books and Porta Via.
Chuy’s recently opened there after taking over the space previously occupied by O’Charley’s.
“(Developers) have not taken my feedback into consideration to their plan, nor have they taken the Planning Department’s feedback,” Murphy says. “So currently, I haven’t scheduled any community meetings on that because I don’t plan on moving it forward until there are significant changes on that project.
“I know that there were a lot of concerns about that, but that project is currently off the table.”