Marshall’s, PetSmart and more back on the table
Levi Hill/News-Sun
Work began again earlier this week on the former Kmart building and the once announced tenants for the location are now back on the table.
Lasco Construction Owner John Ragsdale said the $2.5 million rebuild of the building’s shell is underway and the first tenants could be in and operating by the end of the year.
“Tenant contracts will be negotiated within the next month or two,” Ragsdale said. “Five months is what we have to do the shell, but I don’t think it will take that long. It will go a little faster.”
Ragsdale confirmed the tenants originally announced for the building in 2020 when Kmart vacated the premises are still on the table — Marshall’s, Famous Footwear, PetSmart and Ross Dress for Less and Boot Barn.
The building has a sixth retail location spot planned that has yet to land a tenant.
Ragsdale said the existing roof of the building was not in terrible shape and was going to be replaced in sections as crews worked inside the structure, but said now the entire roof will need to be replaced before workers start on the interior.
The project has been a long time coming, and although Ragsdale could not give specifics on why it has taken so long for the building’s owners, Nevada-based Rhino Investment Group, to get moving, he said it’s good for the community it is finally happening.
“It was a hazard,” he said. “That building, the longer it sat, the more problems it was going to cause.”
