Status Update: Aldi

Status update

MANATEE -- One of two grocery stores under construction near Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70 had some exterior insulation installed this week even as its Walmart-branded competitor across the road pushed past that milestone.

Discount grocer Aldi has been building a 17,018-square-foot store at 4505 53rd Ave. E. since October with plans to open this spring. When finished, it will be one of two Aldi stores in Manatee County, joining another built on Cortez Road in 2010.

According to county records, the construction project is valued at $1.2 million. The Germany-based grocery store also spent $1.75 million in early 2015 to buy nearly 4 acres for the store at the northeast corner of SR 70 and 45th Street East.

Rezoned last year for planned commercial development, the property will have 86 parking slots and access to SR 70 and 45th Street East. Company representatives did not respond to requests to comment on the store's opening date. A representative with the general contractor, Schmid Construction, said work is expected to be complete on March 15.

Aldi offers deep discounts on groceries in a store environment designed to save the company money. Stores accept only cash, debit cards and EBT cards as payment. They requires shoppers to pay a 25-cent deposit on carts that is returned when shoppers put their carts back in storage racks. The stores are also stingy on bags: According to Aldi's website, shoppers who want to bag their groceries must either bring their own bags or purchase Aldi's reusable bags at checkout.

The Aldi store will eventually be one of three grocers at the intersection. Publix has operated a store there for several years. Walmart is building a 43,000-square-foot Neighborhood Market store on the site of a former Winn-Dixie on the south side of SR 70. That store has also been under construction for months.

ALDI operates nearly 1,400 U.S. stores in 32 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast. According to its website, the company operates more than 4,000 grocery stores worldwide.

Status Update, a new weekly feature, is a regular look at the progress of construction projects throughout Manatee County.

Project name: Aldi

Location: 5405 53rd Ave. E.

Project type: Grocery store

Owner: Aldi Inc.

Developer: Aldi Inc.

General contractor: Schmid Construction, Clermont

Engineer: Commercial Site Solutions, Lutz

Project value: $1.2 million

Projected completion date: March 15

Square footage: 17,018

Source: Manatee County records

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 11:49 PM with the headline "Status Update: Aldi ."