Although there was no mention of a starting date or hint of a completion date, there was some news regarding the proposed Menards business earlier this week. And it took place Monday in front of the Bridgeport Planning Commission.

 

During the meeting, the Commission was asked by Genesis Partners, the developers of Charles Pointe, to consider subdividing a near 95-acre parcel. The parcel in question is the same parcel that would be home to the retail outlet the developers at Charles Pointe hope to bring to Bridgeport.

 

Genesis Partners Director of Planning and Engineering Rob Stuart was on hand for the request that would subdivide 23.1 acres out of the large parcel to create two separate parcels.

 

“It’s just a further subdivision of the larger parcel, which is adjacent to the Menards parcel,” said Stuart. “It’s just positioning for additional development adjacent to Menards.”

 

The request was a fairly standard one on the commercial development front. It was passed unanimously by the Planning Commission with little discussion as it fell in line with all of the city’s requirements.

 

“(The parcel’s) use is consistent with the planned unit development, which was previously approved. I believe everything is in compliance here,” said Stuart just prior to the vote.

 

After the vote and as the meeting continued, Stuart thanked the Commission and left. As leaving, he was asked about a potential start date for the project. Stuart didn’t have any dates to give but did provide optimism for many hoping the retail giant will open up in Bridgeport.

 

“We’re in the final stages to get things going,” said Stuart.

 

If it happens, it will take place at what the developers are calling Charles Pointe Crossing.

 

Previously, Stuart had told Connect-Bridgeport in September of last year that earth work would take place soon as the first phase of the project He estimated the cost to have land ready for Menards and other tenants that the earth work could be in the $25 million range.

 

Stuart said last year Menards would require 17 acres and that, he said, would be for everything. That would include the parking and the blueprint for a 160,000 square foot heated building. When you add in the land and garden section as well as the warehouse, it goes significantly higher.

 

“The number is much closer to 220,000 square feet up to 240,000 square feet,” said Stuart last year.

 

For those that don’t know, Menards is a chain of home improvement businesses with locations featured primarily in the Midwestern United States. The privately held company has its home operations in Wisconsin with roughly 300 stores in 14 states.

 

The company has multiple sections including appliances, bath, doors, electrical, heating and cooling, kitchen, outdoors, paint, tools, hardware and more. Of particular interest may be that Menards actually has a very small grocery store component to it as well that should meet a few of demands of some asking for a type of grocery configuration to be present on that end of Bridgeport.

 

The planned arrival of the company was announced during a March 2017 meeting of the Bridgeport Development Authority. In March of 2018 Rodney Wekkin, a real estate representative for Menards, said they were committed to the Charles Pointe site if everything went as planned.

 

On April 2 of this year, Wekkin was contacted again for any new information and he directed Connect-Bridgeport to a spokesperson for the company. The official, Jeff Abbott, asked for questions to be emailed to him. He responded to the email with an email of his own that stated “we have nothing official to report at this time.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Rob Stuart of Genesis Partners addressing the Planning Commission, while Commission President Rodney Kidd reviews plats in the second photo. Bottom file photo shows Stuart pointing out the layout of Charles Pointe Crossing.