Clintonville: Combined T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods planned for Graceland
Some Clintonville officials and a tenant of the Graceland Shopping Center said they believe the arrival of T.J. Maxx & HomeGoods will be good for the Clintonville area.
The combined retail store, part of TJX Companies Inc. based in Framingham, Massachusetts, is to take over 45,295 square feet at 155, 159 and 165 Graceland Blvd. in the Graceland Shopping Center, according to documents filed with the city of Columbus.
An opening date is unknown because representatives of Casto, the shopping center's landlord, and TJX Companies Inc., which owns the two retail stores, offered no comment about the project.
Both stores, which are not always combined, are well known for discount clothing and other apparel, kitchenware, bedroom furnishings and home goods.
Nancy Kuhel, executive director of the Clintonville Business Association, said T.J. Maxx & HomeGoods seems like a good fit for the retail center.
"It can only be good to have less empty space, I would think," Kuhel said. "And it is a place people like to shop. It seems like they would do well."
Although, she expressed concern about the speed of traffic darting down the center of the retail center, a perpetual issue.
The new store is to be located on the south side of the center, between Target and Kroger.
"It's a lot of fast-moving cars in such little space," Kuhel said. "I don't know how they'd control that. People treat that entrance there like a regular road, but it's a parking lot."
The site plan calls for 16,556 square feet of small shops to be demolished and 18,847 square feet of the former OfficeMax space to be used for the store, a document filed with the city of Columbus said.
The section of the center at 155 Graceland Blvd. is to be partially demolished and an addition is to be constructed for the T.J. Maxx portion, the documents show.
Meanwhile, a 9,000-square-foot addition is to be added to lineup with the building at 165 Graceland Blvd., according to the site plan.
That means Music & Arts is to move from 159 Graceland Blvd. across the parking lot to a storefront in the center.
"It's good," Music * Arts general manager Kristen Hyatt said. "We're upgrading a bit, so that's nice."
Hyatt said the brands will give smaller stores like hers, which sells musical equipment and offers lessons, more visibility.
"It drives traffic, so that's good," she said.
Because the retail outlet fits into the C-4 zoning, there is no need for a rezoning. For that reason, the plan did not have to appear before the Clintonville Area Commission for a recommendation to the city.
Joe Motil, District 6 representative of the Clintonville Area Commission, said he liked the sound of the retail project, but would have preferred the CAC receive a courtesy call from the landlord or developer.
"Since it doesn't look like they have to go before the CAC, I know why they would not have presented it to us," Motil said. "But I think it's important for the neighborhood to know a new business is coming in."
gseman@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekGary
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Clintonville: Combined T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods planned for Graceland
