Alpine Meijer To Get New Face

[tamias6]

Construction Update:

Today's trip to old Plainfeild Meijer sure gave me a very potent sample of how the Alpine Meijer was before this renovation started. If I had my Choice between old and new... Let's just say I'm not planning on looking back anytime soon. Thus far the Alpine Meijer is turning out to be light years better than how it was before the start of its metamorphosis.

Anyway on to the updates....

Outside the stucco work to both sides of the Retail Entrance is complete. The deep chocolate brown is a very nice contrast to the lighter earth tone of the sign and section of facade of the the pharmacy drive-up window. The sides of the retail entrance above the buildings roof line is now being stuccoed. In addition, scaffolding has been erected in front of the entire store facade north of the grocery entrance. This section is apparently going to be stuccoed in one single shot. On the buildings north side above the middle band, new stucco work now covers most of that section. The middle band itself has received allot of its cobalt blue metal finish cladding. While stucco work has gone into frenzy mode, much of the front canopy's underside as been painted a refreshing white. Plastic has been draped over the wall to protect its new paint job from the paint work being applied to the canopy's underside. Capping things off outside is a white material being installed on the trim details of both entrances. This must be an extra layer of sub-straight that will accept the final blue metal finish cladding.

Heading inside the store via the grocery entrance, one will find that the restroom sign has been taken down while the vestibule is being repainted. Why this is happening is not clear. However most of the repainting has occurred around the drywall joints and where screws were driven. This leads me to believe that vibrations caused by construction work has cause the screw heads to pop out and cracks in the plaster work thus ruining the paint work. What ever happen, its a minor setback.

Continuing inside, one will find that walls of the meat dept. have been painted. However graphics still need to be applied and the Meat and Seafood awning signs installed.

Heading west one, will find that the expanded cheese section cooler is now fully stocked. But this has left a large space in the rear dairy cooler vacant. What ever products may fill that space is unclear.

Wrapping things up, the plastic over the former center entrance is down. I asked the cashier what will happen to that space. But she had no idea. My guess for now is the expansion of the two offices located on both sides of the former center entrance. If it where my renovation, I'd move both of those offices upstairs and turn the center entrance space and the two office spaces into an additional in-store tenant alcove.

Now for some Pictures:

The Blue Band and Scaffolding. Good ol' Fred must be cracking the whip. Stucco work is about to go to Ludicrous Speed.

Detail Shot. The Scaffolding creates a very interesting repeating pattern.

The Grocery Entrance and paintwork of the canopy's underside.

The stucco work on both sides of the retail entrance is done. Scaffolding still needs to come down. Also notice the stuccoing in progress on retail entry above the roof line.

[pcdoctor]

I don't think there's anymore space to put anything else up on the mezzanine floor now unless they got rid of the break room up there. But if there was, then yeah, another in store tenant should be able to fit there. Were the restrooms still closed when you were at the store? Also, was all the new flooring completed yet?

[tamias6]

I don't think there's anymore space to put anything else up on the mezzanine floor now unless they got rid of the break room up there. But if there was, then yeah, another in store tenant should be able to fit there. Were the restrooms still closed when you were at the store? Also, was all the new flooring completed yet?

[tamias6]

Construction Update:

Outside was very busy today. Stucco work has picked up in pace is well underway on the upper facade north of the Grocery Entrance. Next, all of the old red trim around the front canopy's edges has been stripped off and is being replaced by more of the new cobalt blue trim. Meanwhile most of the paint on the underside of the canopy is done. In addition round surface mount light fixtures have appeared on the canopy's under side, replacing the old square shaped recessed units taken down months ago.

Heading to the area between the entrances, yet another mystery as developed at the former center entrance. The area surrounding the new door has been painted snow white instead of the light brown color of the rest of the lower facade. This could be primer. But usually primer is tinted to a similar color as the finish coats of paint. At the very least. this white color could also some kind of a sealer. However, that is doubtful as I've only seen the use of sealer on basement walls, foundations, and cinder block walls like those of the store's addition. So that leaves me to think that their might be a bit of hope of the former center entry becoming something other than a mere service door. But we shall see in due time.

Heading south, the scaffolding to either side of the the retail entrance has been taken down while further to the south cross walk markings have been laid. One leads customers to across the front drive to the garden center while two more cross the entry and exit points of the drive up pharmacy.

Inside the store, the repainting of the Grocery Entrance's vestibule appears to be done. The paintwork looks a thousand percent better than before. However the restroom signs along with interior fixtures still need to be reinstalled. Meanwhile the newly painted walls of the Meat dept. are now being adorned with more store graphics. In addition the meat and seafood counters have received their new awning style signs. Workers where preparing to place the text on the seafoods' awning during my visit.

Lastly, ceiling tiles in the mezzanine were missing as crews were busy working on projects above the ceiling. Also the mezzanine restrooms are still closed.

Now for some pictures:

Stucco work underway and blue trim on the front canopy

Stucco workers in action on the south side of the grocery entrance. The one perched on the scaffolds is preparing the facade while the other hunched over a mixing bucket is applying a scratch coat.

A Shot of the trim installer. I wish I had a better shot of it. But notice the mystery white around the former center entrance

Finish Stucco work on the retail entrance area. Also the white trim on the Entrance's roof looks to be a keeper. According to the renderings the roof trim was suppose to be blue.

The new cross walks for the garden center and pharmacy drive up area. Utilitarian. But should be effective.

[pcdoctor]

I did end up getting to the store yesterday to see what things were going like overthere. Just didn't have time to post an update. But for the most part, construction on the interior is about 85% completed. It could probabily all finish up within a week or two in the sales floor wise area. Up front, that's a different story. Lately, I haven't seen much work occur at the big opening where the pac n ship used to be. But my predictions are that a barber shop will go there or the vision center would return. The space is way too big for it to be a starbucks coffee. If they were to get rid of the offices on either side of the center entry, then maybe the starbucks could go there. I also looked at Delicious to go, and pretty much the products they are offering are going to be permanent products. There was Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Mac and Cheese, and some chicken in there. There also wasn't prices for the items there either. I don't think it's the type of place I would get anything from except maybe a pop. Speaking of the pop, there must have been something wrong at the new drink station because a worker was removing liquid from the drain that is on the machine. I also noticed that the fountain machine in the front promenade of the store is still there. I thought that would move to delicious to go area. Also, workers that brought carts in did not bring them in through the cart storage room, they came through the grocery entrance and then put them in the room. I also did give the retail entrance a try, it too is similar to the grocery entrance, but it's walls are blue and there's no restroom. The outer in door wasn't functioning, but it could have been the fact that workers were working on the door. So I had to go in the out door, then to the other in door. Because of that, most people were going in through the out doors. But yeah now I wonder what will fill the space in that one back cooler that is now empty since cheeses are now in the new cooler.

[disconsolate]

So i'm just getting in on this conversation, but I'm really glad they're finally doing something about the Alpine Meijer.

I used to live nearer to this one, and then they put up the Meijer in Standale, and we've been going there for the years it's been open.

Anytime I'd run errands for my grandparents at the Alpine location I really couldn't stand being there. I mean, the ceilings were low and gloomy, the floors were perpetually stained and the shelves were always disorderly (though I'm not putting all that on the employees).

I just hope the surrounding community can help keep it a nice place, after so many businesses in that area are on their way to demise.

[tamias6]

Go there and check it out. Because you are in for one heck of a surprise then. The whole place is completely different now and immeasurably better than it was before. There are even some aspects of the Alpine Meijer that now surpasses the Standale store. For example, the Alpine store's newly expanded 18 aisle grocery section is notably larger than that of the Standale Store and IMO offer a better overall selection. Even the almighty Knapp Corner's grocery section is surpassed esp. when it comes to produce. The Alpine store's new E4 is a tad larger and better arranged than the Standale store's E4. The Garden Center seems to be significantly bigger too. Then there are the 4 new self checkout lanes capable of handling full sized orders. As far as I know, its the only Meijer to feature them. Even though they are not perfect they have come in really handy. In all, despite being the same building and same store, any traces of the old Alpine Meijer you hated being dragged to by your Grandmother are thankfully just a fading memory. In place of the old dank obsolete store is what essentially amounts to being a brand new state of the art facility from the ground up. I dare say the Alpine Meijer renovation has thus far proven to be one those very rare instances of the ugly duckling becoming a beautiful swan.

So i'm just getting in on this conversation, but I'm really glad they're finally doing something about the Alpine Meijer.

I used to live nearer to this one, and then they put up the Meijer in Standale, and we've been going there for the years it's been open.

Anytime I'd run errands for my grandparents at the Alpine location I really couldn't stand being there. I mean, the ceilings were low and gloomy, the floors were perpetually stained and the shelves were always disorderly (though I'm not putting all that on the employees).

I just hope the surrounding community can help keep it a nice place, after so many businesses in that area are on their way to demise.

[Veloise]

...

Stucco work underway and blue trim on the front canopy

...

[numstead]

I don't think any of that is stucco, which is typically trowelled on in layers. Although I'm just judging based on the photos, it looks like EIFS to me.

[tamias6]

I don't think any of that is stucco, which is typically trowelled on in layers. Although I'm just judging based on the photos, it looks like EIFS to me.

[jbr12]

Then there are the 4 new self checkout lanes capable of handling full sized orders. As far as I know, its the only Meijer to feature them. Even though they are not perfect they have come in really handy.

[tamias6]

Construction Update:

Outside, the EIFS coating is for the most part all done. Workers are currently taking down the scaffolding. This new finish, cladding the upper half of the front facade, gives this store whole a refreshingly new look. The subtle grid pattern helps add visual interest. In addition, workers up on cherry pickers are currently installing more finish trim on the roof of the entrances while a couple of more workers on the ground are most of the way through installing the blue finish trim on the front canopy. Next Paint sub-contractors are doing some touch up work on the front edge of the canopy's underside.

However the painters have still left the wall around the mystery door, A.K.A former center entrance white. That leads me to assume this white may be the finish color. However the door itself looks to be a mundane service door. So why highlight it? I could be wrong. But Fred must be up to something.

Anyway over the Pharmacy Drive-up Window, Meijer's knack for constant tinkering is at it again. Workers in a cherry picker are repositioning the lettering of the the pharmacy drive up sign a foot or so higher when where they were before. Also the workers have reduced the leading (space between lines of text) of the sign as well.

Heading inside via the Grocery entrance, one will encounter a worker in a large man lift putting some finishing touches on weather stripping sealing the glass planes of the curtain wall of the the elements. Also the entry vestibule's fixtures expect for the restroom sign are back up.

Moving into the sales floor itself, one will notice workers on their hands and knees installing a railing system around the cart coral next to the checkout lanes.

Workers in a Cherry Picker installing more trim on the Grocery Entrance's roof.

Painter in action as he applys cutting work around a support column holding up the front canopy.

Pharmacy Drive Up Sign Being Repositioned

[Veloise]

I hope Alpine gets new carts (the ones with cupholders) and especially the Cute Carts, which hold only two commuter baskets' worth of loot so there's no temptation to overshop. Sneaky Fred with his huge baskets; I spend too much.

Oh, wait...

[tamias6]

Construction Update:

One part of the Mystery Door A.K.A. the former center entrance has been solved. It's merely a service door. Workers have finally painted the white area around the door and the door itself the same color as the rest of the wall. However the former center entrance space inside is still very much a mystery. Workers have installed new floor tile in the space. What the space will be used for is still anyone's guess.

Anyway back outside, more bollards have been installed along the front of the building north of the grocery entrances. Like the others already in place these guys are about 41/2 to 5 feet tall. This is puzzling as there is nothing there but a blank wall. Any other retail space would have bollards only in front of its entrances to keep some maniac from driving his Ford F-150 though the doors to steal stuff. But with a phalanx of bollards now spanning the entire length of the store and made so high, I'm left wondering why Meijer is calling for so much protection for this store. None of its other stores, not even the 28th St/ K'zoo, location, has this much protection. To my knowledge, other than dealing with the occasional shop lifter the Alpine Meijer does not have very much crime problems.

Moving on, the blue metal trim along the facade and around the front canopy is for the most part done. The Pharmacy Drive Up sign is repositioned and looks better than before. Also painters are now painting the front canopy's support columns blue to match the blue trim.

Inside, a sign was posted stating that Bottle Return is not currently accepting bottles due to construction. However one is still able to process cans. Also the sign informs that the bottle return will be closed this week from Wednesday 6pm to Thursday 6pm also due to construction. Lastly workers in a man lift were making some preps to the Seafood counter's awning to receive its lettering.

Now for some Pictures:

More Bollards. Needless to say with all the bollards now in place even a bull dozer will have a hard time penetrating this store's defenses.

The Canopy's support columns are turning blue.

The Mystery Door A.K.A former center entrance solved...at least on the outside. Its now just a service door.

Repositioning of the Pharmacy Drive Up sign is done

The Facade from the south end of the front drive.

[Timize]

Are they going to paint the bollards? They look extremely ugly right now.

[tamias6]

I would assume so. Most bollards of this type are either painted snow white color or in most cases a bright yellow to make them noticeable to drivers. In very rare cases, I've seen blue or red ones.

Are they going to paint the bollards? They look extremely ugly right now.

[Zomby-Woof]

The thing I was wondering about is the cable running though the retail entrance. Does anyone know what that if for? It does look like its temporary.

[tamias6]

Size Calculations:

We all know who the biggest Meijer store in the GR area is. Right? Well if you said the Knapp Corner store, you made a logical assumption. After all, at 225,933 sq. ft. the Knapp Corner Meijer is a master of Big Box sprawl. In fact no other Meijer in the greater GR area has out sprawled it. That is until the Alpine Meijer's renovation elevated it from 215,031 sq. ft. to a hefty 229,258 sq. ft. surpassing the mighty Knapp Corner Meijer. But how can this be? There's no way the tiny Alpine Meijer could balloon to such a gargantuan size. Oh yes it can thanks to a little something called a mezzanine.

Before the renovation began, the Alpine Meijer measured in at 215,031 sq. ft. That includes the 14,252 sq. ft making up the mezzanine. Without the Mezzanine the building's size would have been a scant 200,778 sq. ft. As the renovation progressed, the store received a 20,000 sq. ft. addition to increase the size of the sales floor while the mezzanine was reduced to less than half of it size to make way for the new entrances and reconfiguration of the grocery section. Now, the building measures in at 222,530 sq. ft. with out its mezzanine. However, though greatly reduced in size, the mezzanine ratchets the Alpine Meijer up another 6728sq. ft. to its new total size of 229,258 sq. ft. Thus, the Alpine Meijer now reigns as the biggest Meijer store in the GR area.

But even though the Knapp Corner store has been dethroned in sq. footage. All of its 225,933 sq. ft. is on one level. That and smaller back rooms gives the Knapp Courner Meijer a significantly larger sales floor than that of the Alpine Meijer.

[disconsolate]

i'm starting to wonder...

parking...

[pcdoctor]

Doc's Update:

Beginning Outside, for the most part, construction crews have wrapped up a lot of projects. The only things left pretty much to do are some painting of the bollards and the polls. However, I didn't see any blue support beams at all, so they may have been painted again recently. Also, there was a worker up on the awning by the grocery entrance doing some work of some sort.

Heading inside via the grocery entrance. One could notice in the grocery entrance that some mudding work recently took place. So as far as I know, the wall will have to be repainted again!

Going completly in: I can now say that construction work inside the store has pretty much wrapped up. The bottle return room was open, but I do believe that they installed new marble flooring in the bottle return room. Also the section of empty shelves in the dairy aisle that would be home to an expanded juice section is now fully stocked. Also, the Aisle 17 sign is still missing by the milk coolers, and the HVAC unit in Aisle 7 was making quite some noise. It was quite annoying. And to wrap things up, the meat and seafood signs were up at the counters, but the seafood had quite a stench to where no one would want to buy anything from there.

And finally up front, what will happen in the former center entrance area is still a mystery. It was sectioned off, so no one could go through it. And the vacant shop front space is pretty much a storage place for some stuff. I do not anticipate that it will be a vision center at all. As far as I know, the space is for lease.

All doors to the retail entrance were functioning too.

Also: Veloise, yes the meijer store also did get some of those new blue carts as well. And the restrooms on the mezzanine level appear to be open.

[tamias6]

Looking Good. You mentioned that the sea food counters had a fowl order during your visit. Expect this about once every couple of months. I believe its due to some kind of cleaning cycle in the counters themselves that causes that. This oder use to happen at the Standale Meijer seafood counter as well, however they've either did something to stop the smell or timed the cleaning to happen late at night. If the order was bad, I'm sure the same solution will be done at the Alpine Meijer.

I'm glad to hear the store switched to the blue carts. The old metal ones where starting to look pretty tired.

As for the blue support columns here's a photo from my last update:

Doc's Update:

Beginning Outside, for the most part, construction crews have wrapped up a lot of projects. The only things left pretty much to do are some painting of the bollards and the polls. However, I didn't see any blue support beams at all, so they may have been painted again recently. Also, there was a worker up on the awning by the grocery entrance doing some work of some sort.

Heading inside via the grocery entrance. One could notice in the grocery entrance that some mudding work recently took place. So as far as I know, the wall will have to be repainted again!

Going completly in: I can now say that construction work inside the store has pretty much wrapped up. The bottle return room was open, but I do believe that they installed new marble flooring in the bottle return room. Also the section of empty shelves in the dairy aisle that would be home to an expanded juice section is now fully stocked. Also, the Aisle 17 sign is still missing by the milk coolers, and the HVAC unit in Aisle 7 was making quite some noise. It was quite annoying. And to wrap things up, the meat and seafood signs were up at the counters, but the seafood had quite a stench to where no one would want to buy anything from there.

And finally up front, what will happen in the former center entrance area is still a mystery. It was sectioned off, so no one could go through it. And the vacant shop front space is pretty much a storage place for some stuff. I do not anticipate that it will be a vision center at all. As far as I know, the space is for lease.

All doors to the retail entrance were functioning too.

Also: Veloise, yes the meijer store also did get some of those new blue carts as well. And the restrooms on the mezzanine level appear to be open.

[pcdoctor]

This Odor has been going on now for about a week or so now. Also, one of those seafood display cases was stocked at one point and now isn't stocked.

[tamias6]

Malfunction in the display counter's refrigeration system, I bet. I hope Fred's got good warranties.

This Odor has been going on now for about a week or so now. Also, one of those seafood display cases was stocked at one point and now isn't stocked.

[Veloise]

...

Also: Veloise, yes the meijer store also did get some of those new blue carts as well. ...

[tamias6]

Construction Update:

After returning home from a trip to a family member's birthday party I decided to squeeze in some grocery shopping at the Alpine Meijer. After all I took photos of five other Meijer stores on the way to and from the party. More on that later on the Meijer thread. Anyway, as PC doc said in his update, the store looks mostly done. There just some loose ends to take care of. Those would be the space of the former center entrance, the temporary cable hanging in the retail entrance, the vacant in-store tenant alcove among a few other things. I will continue to update this thread until all the visible loose ends are dealt with. I'm hoping the Alpine Meijer will hold a Grand Reopening as it would make for a fitting conclusion to one of the most miraculous transformations Meijer has ever pulled off. I am also planning on putting together a youtube video slide show of the renovation from start to finish once it is done.

Anyway on to today's updates...

Outside the Blue support columns have reverted back to their original color matching the color of the facade's lower half. The exterior of the building looks to be done.

Heading inside, wains coating has been installed in the former center entrance space. However, its intended use is still unclear. One thought that just crossed my mind is this space may become the location for the bags of various water softener and deicing salts once located outside next to the former center entrance.

First thing to be noticed is the return of the restroom sign in the grocery entrance's vestibule.

Next the "cafe" sign has been repositioned 2 feet closer to the delicious to go to make it more visible to customers heading to the produce dept.

At the meat and seafood counters, the fowl oder PCdoc described is gone. So what ever was causing it must have been fixed. However the HVAC unit directly above aisle 7 was making a buzzing noise. It sounded like a gigantic hornet was trapped inside the unit.

Lastly, Bottle Return now has a new floor which looks allot better than the bare concrete floor that was there before.

Now for some pictures:

The Facade from the north end.

The Facade from the south end.