Work has officially begun on the future Whole Foods and the Park project, situated near the intersection of Cross Creek Road and Civic Center Way. As of Thursday, Oct. 5, workers were on site at the project and equipment was already beginning to move dirt to begin construction.
A source close to the project confirmed the primary tenant for the shopping center would be a Whole Foods Market, despite speculation to the contrary. Though many believed Whole Foods would pull out of the deal—possibly due to a changing retail landscape or because of its recent acquisition by Amazon—the source confirmed Whole Foods would occupy the 24,549 sq. ft. retail space approved in the plans for the center, which will also include 13,876 sq. ft. of additional commercial retail, 4,800 sq. ft. of outdoor seating and 107,855 sq. ft. of landscaping.
The market was embroiled in a legal battle for years following the passage of the Measure R formula retail ordinance and later the voting down of the project’s plans, at the time called Measure W. Since the Measure R ordinance was ruled illegal, the Whole Foods Project was able to break ground without voter approval.
