Wal-Mart IS coming
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on August 30, 2006 1:45 PM
Wal-Mart is planning to build a supercenter store at the intersection of U.S. 70 west and N.C. 581, say local officials and landowners.
A section of land at the intersection was annexed earlier this year by the city of Goldsboro. A site plan for the store has been approved by city officials, City Planning Director Randy Guthrie said.
The plan calls for the construction of a 203,819-square-foot store on the northwest corner of the intersection, with five parcels of land fronting the roadway that could be used for restaurants or other businesses.
Larry Bill said Tuesday that he sold the land to Wal-Mart and that company officials are in the process of closing the deal. Bill is in the process of moving buildings off the land to make way for construction.
Drawing submitted
The layout for the new Wal-Mart shopping center.
Wal-Mart officials in Arkansas could not be reached for comments on the plans, although Bill has a map showing the layout of the proposed buildings and parking lot west of the city. Company officials also were not available to comment on any plans for the existing Wal-Mart on Spence Avenue.
Wal-Mart officials earlier this year denied that the retail giant was interested in building near Goldsboro. After months of speculation, they announced they would build a store in Mount Olive. Construction there is already under way.
Rowe said that once the legal sale of the land has been completed, developers can begin seeking building permits from the city.
Bill said Wal-Mart representatives have been helpful and eager to get the project started.
"The people I've been dealing with, they're not the same ones that have been working down in Mount Olive. These people have done 120 or 125 Wal-Marts and they're wonderful to work with. We've bent over backwards for each other," Bill said.
Even moving his home and rental properties was not as difficult as first thought, he said.
"They were going to bulldoze it, but then they asked me if I wanted to get (my homes). I said yes, so we moved it and they paid the costs," Bill said.
Before Bill's homes were moved, Bill and Wal-Mart representatives negotiated moving and other costs, he said. For the past three weeks, Harris Construction and Development workers have been lifting Bill's homes from the ground and preparing to move it about a half acre away.
A site plan Bill showed contained the name of Scott & Globe Architects of Tulsa, Okla. as the designers of the store.
"They went ahead and got it ready (on Tuesday) and the guys said that some rain was going to be coming, so we just did it," Bill said.
Although Bill won't have water sewer services at his homes for the next few weeks, he said he has no worries with the settlement and his new location which were both finalized Tuesday.
"Everything's finished, so they cut me my check. They told me I have 30 days to get all of my things off of the property, but I already took care of that," Bill said.
Bill said Wal-Mart representatives told him the company is planning to begin construction in October. Barring any delays, "by October 2007, you'll be pushing shopping carts," he said.