Kroger Marketplace*
Atlanta, GA
The northwest corner of Bill Kennedy Way and Glenwood Avenue just southeast of downtown Atlanta was a food desert, a brownfield, a narrow site, and in a highly distressed census tract. In answer to these challenges, the Atlanta Division of Kroger Co. constructed a 114,355 square foot Kroger “Marketplace” store, financed through New Markets Tax Credits. The store was the first Marketplace store in the City of Atlanta. The Marketplace concept offers a wider variety of healthy food initiatives, with expanded produce and health food departments, as well as non-traditional grocery store products unique to this store concept.
The impact of employment opportunities in this distressed community is impressive: the Marketplace resulted in 70 full time, accessible/entry-level jobs paying higher-than-living wage salaries. In addition, the Marketplace provided 145 part-time jobs and the project resulted in 494 temporary construction jobs. Kroger has committed to developing an outreach program designed to maximize the hiring of local, low-income residents from the community and report back on the results of these efforts. In addition, Kroger provides an extensive benefit package including health insurance, 401(k) plan, paid vacation and the option to purchase stock in the company.
The impact of a fresh food retailer entering a food desert is also significant: the Marketplace provides affordable groceries and other commercial goods to approximately 130,000 people annually, of whom 62,000 are low-income.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Quick Facts
Total Development Costs: $36,721,709
Square Footage: 114,355 sq. ft.
Developer: Kroger Company and Fuqua Development
Owner: The Kroger Company Atlanta Division
Allocatee: MBS Urban Initiatives, CDE, The Reinvestment Fund
NMTC Equity Investor: U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation
Other Financing: Topvalco, A subsidiary of Kroger
General Contractor: R W Smith Company
Allocation Amount: MBS UI--$5,000,000, TRF--$6,500,000
Construction Jobs: 494
Projected Permanent Jobs: 70 FTE, 145 PTE