Mariano's, Wal-Mart push into Bronzeville

I had found this article from Chicago Real Estate Daily that shows two grocers looking for property in Bronzeville namely on the site of former CHA housing projects. Within the past five or so years of the publication of this blog we did two posts about Roundy's intending to build a store on the site of the former housing projects along State Street. You check them out below:

• Grocery for Bronzeville - Sept. 27, 2008
• Roundy's to open grocery store in Bronzeville - Feb. 18, 2009

Now Roundy's plans to bring a Mariano's to that historic south side neighborhood formerly known as "the Black Metropolis" back in it's heyday which was the early to mid 20th century. Today it's an emerging neighborhood that's sure bet with IIT and close proximity to downtown Chicago.

It should be noted as well that Mariano's has been expanding in Chicago and there is already one open in downtown Chicago at Monroe/Halsted. Another is currently being built in the South Loop neighborhood located at 16th/Clark Streets. Mariano's is aiming for a spot at Pershing Rd. (or 39th Street) & State Street which was once the site of the former Ida B. Wells Homes and the development where the store is located is to be called "Oakwood Shores".

Also the Wal-Mart that's coming to Bronzeville is expected to be located at Pershing Rd (or again 39th Street) and King Drive which is also a site of another former housing project long since razed. It's expected to be a "supercenter" such as the one being built near 111th & Bishop Ford Expressway in Pullman. It'll be just like the stores on 83rd and the one in Austin. The article also reported that in 2012, Wal-Mart had already signed a 20 year lease to anchor a mixed use project at 47th/Cottage Grove with one of their small store formats.

What do you think of these developments?