New Wal-Mart Under Construction in Sanford, NC
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Love it or hate it, Walmart is a huge force in the retail world. The current Walmart in Sanford was built in 1991, which although not that long ago, is ancient in the world of retail. Last year a firm from Aiken, SC purchased land at the intersection of US 421 and NC 87 just Southeast of Sanford. |
| It wasn’t long before zoning signs were up and hearings were being held. Some local residents who currently drive to Siler City or Spring Lake for a similar store were happy to see the new development. A few folks - especially small business owners were strongly opposed - many of them fearful that the current Walmart building would become an abandoned eyesore along Horner Boulevard. |
| Another proposed development across the street never got off the ground, so I was anxious to see the fate of this shopping center. After some discussion by the zoning board and local officials, the project was approved.The city did require the parking lot to be planted with trees. |
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| Also, with Sanford being a large brick producer, the front facade of the main building was redesigned to use more brick. Construction has gone at a very steady pace since last fall and the local newspaper recently announced that the center will open on September 19th, which will be here before we know it. |
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With the Walmart location decided, it will now be interesting to see what businesses locate in the adjacent strip center and out parcels. Our family is hoping for a bookstore, a video game store (my son), and a Zaxby’s or Chik-Fil-A. |
| With the BRAC realignment bringing more soldiers to nearby Fort Bragg, and the US 421 bypass bringing more of the Sanford area within commuting distance for Wake County, I expect more families to move into the area. More families means more development. I am just hoping development is done in a way that preserves our small town charm. My guess is that given the traffic along Horner Boulevard, the old Walmart building will be quickly occupied by other businesses. The old Walmart building in Sping Lake is now partially occupied by a Big Lots, and I have seen Hobby Lobby and several other retailers use older Walmart buildings. |
To find out about neighborhoods in Lee County NC, visit the Lee County Neighborhood Information page on my website.
For more information about Real Estate in the Sanford, Lee County, or Harnett County areas, you can also visit my Sanford NC homes website.
Rita Taylor
ERA Strother Real Estate
Sanford NC Real Estate
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