Lake View Mariano’s Could See Movement in Upcoming Weeks

True to Ald. Tom Tunney’s (44th) word—and right on schedule—there could soon be movement regarding the construction of a Mariano’s Fresh Market in Lake View.

In February Tunney spoke at a South East Lake View Neighbors meeting saying he believed the city was just a “couple months away” from progress at the vacant lot at 3030 N. Broadway St.

“What I’m looking forward to this year, hopefully with spring, is a plan to bring the Mariano’s back to the Dominick’s site,” Tunney said in February. “My belief is that we’re going to see a positive development there that will include a Mariano’s.”

Now four months later, the potential for a grocery store seems within reach.

Tunney’s Director of Communication says an advisor to Chicago’s pension funds will be addressing the board in the next month, and if all goes according to plan, his recommendation could include a Mariano’s.

“As for 3030 N. Broadway, the advisor should be making a recommendation to the pension board in the next few weeks,” Duffy said. “We believe it will include the location of a full-service grocery store at our request. … That’s the hope, but we don’t have a concrete timeline.”

Representatives with the alderman’s office have long reminded residents that Mariano’s is a tenant, not a developer, so in order for them to come to Lake View, a second party needs to build the building.

And building that grocery store has been a complicated and complex project almost seven years in the making. 

As of February, Chicago investor Allison Davis led the venture at the former Dominick’s grocery store. Wanxiang America Real Estate LLC, a firm with Chinese investors, sued in October to collect $8.3 million from Davis’ fund DV Urban Realty Partners after she seized the property from its original owners in 2011.

This comes after the City of Chicago pulled its pension funds from the investment after not living up to expectations. The site has been under development negotiations since the 20,000-square-foot Dominick’s grocery store burned down in 2005.

At one point, plans at the site were approved and developers even broke ground on the project in September of 2008, but the financing fell through shortly after. Currently, it's a parking lot.

Since then, both Trader Joe’s and Walmart Neighborhood Market have moved into the area, with a new flagship Walgreens store under construction.