Cleary Publix project starts in a few months

Covid kept my Publix open throughout 2020 but I won’t be so “lucky” this year. A massive makeover will close the supermarket for almost a year.

The company plans to activate its construction permit for the store, 10065 Cleary Blvd., around March 1, and a tentative date for demolition is to start on April 15. The store will then be closed for the remainder of 2021, with plans to reopen in spring 2022. (Note that I use words such as “expected” and “plan to” because as anyone who has worked on such a project knows, all kinds of unexpected events often pop up.)

If you remember, the Plantation City Council originally approved plans for a complete makeover at the Plantation Promenade store in February 2020. The schedule had been to close most of last year and completion to be fall 2021. Clearly, that didn’t happen as the nation came to a standstill during the pandemic.

This store is 35 years old, and while sales are toward the top, officials said it needs to catch up with some features, such as curbside pickup, etc. This building will be “the new prototype” for Publixes elsewhere, they say. Grocery deliveries will be made inside the back of the building, protected by the weather. The trucks’ roaring also will be curtailed to those nearby, because the indoors will shield the sound.

The current store is about 54,000 square feet. The new one will be about 60,000.

The official closing date won’t be announced until all the permits and paperwork is in place. Then they need about 30 days to clear out store inventory, another 30 to move out the equipment, then another 30 for preparing the property with barriers, etc.

Fortunately, there are five Publix stores within a couple of miles, spread out in every direction from the Cleary location. So I’ll likely be making some new acquaintances in the coming year. Don’t be shy; say “hi.”

Aldi getting close

Meanwhile, Aldi lovers will have a new store, on Broward Boulevard, near TGI Friday’s and Ole Ole. Construction is humming along at that venue and opening is scheduled around June of this year.
The Aldi is just north of Target, and patrons likely will be able to park once and frequent both stores.
For the uninitiated, Aldi stores are known for low overhead. They don’t provide shopping bags and a shopping cart requires a 25-cent deposit.

Reagan proposal

Dennis Conklin, an unabashed conservative and weekly speaker at city council meetings, achieved a milestone of sorts at the Feb. 10 meeting: It was the 10th consecutive year that he has proposed a piece of road near Plantation City Hall to be named after former President Ronald Reagan.
“I started during the centennial anniversary of Reagan’s birth,” said Conklin, who makes some sort of request of the council, as well as comments on agenda items, at almost every council meeting. His suggestion is to name a piece of Northwest Fifth Avenue near the police station, fire station and city hall in honor Reagan – but not change the official postal address.
He argues that United States cities should have more areas named after Reagan, citing that the 40th president’s contribution to liberation eastern European countries has brought plazas, squares and streets in such places as Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.
The council has never even made so much as a motion to vote on Conklin’s annual proposal. But if you want to contact him, email MDConklin4581@yahoo.com.
Nick Sortal is a member of Plantation City Council. Email NSortal@Plantation.org. Twitter: @PlantationNick