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Grocer, drugstore to rise in Grays Ferry

Carlino plans Bottom Dollar, Rite-Aid

UPDATE with comments: Carlino Development Group, of Wyomissing, Berks County, confirms it's building a new Bottom Dollar grocery store and a Rite-Aid pharmacy on a 3.1-acre lot at 3000 Grays Ferry Ave. "We're looking for opportunities to bring modern retail to parts of the city that haven't been exposed to it for years," Carlino president Peter Miller told me. His firm also financially supported Mike Grasso's new Shop-Rite development up on Hunting Park Ave. and is looking for more neighborhood retail projects.
Why Grays Ferry and the Point Breeze neighborhood? "Everything's moving this way, Children's Hospital and Penn are coming across the Schuylkill, there's new construction spreading down from Toll Bros. at the Naval Home," Miller said. Carlino Development, whose owners also run the Penn National casino group that is one of the 6 applicants seeking to build a new gambling hall in Philadelphia, has projects working in Chadds Ford, Downington, Turnersville and Wyomissing. Miller called Philadelphia's approval process "relatively smooth."
The site, formerly occupied by Koo's Trading and partly obtained via the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., is across the avenue from the Korman-built, 1970s-era Grays Ferry Shopping Center. The Rite-Aid will move from 31st and Reed, shutting its store next to the closed former D'Ambrosio Bakery. Carlino qualifies for the city's 10-year tax abatement on new construction; no other government incentives apply, Miller said.
Bottom Dollar is the discount and small-store arm of the European-owned Delhaize grocery group, which operates Food Lion supermarkets in Delaware and down South. City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson has backed the Grays Ferry Ave. project, which includes vacating the last block of Oakford St. to make way for the two free-standing buildings and parking.
Carlino is in talks with Jay S. Sidhu's Customers Bank, also of Wyomissing, for financing the planned Grays Ferry stores. "We have a close relationship," Miller said.