Giant Eagle Starting $9 Million Expansion & Remodeling Project Today

The Edgewood Towne Center  is embarking on a $9 million expansion and remodeling project that will bring beer, full cheese service, sushi and more to the neighborhood location.

“We have been tossing the idea around for about two years and we definitely wanted to do a remodel due to the fact that some of our equipment and features are outdated,” said Jordan Marckisotto, store leader. “Some of them are in need of repair, so we knew a remodel was definite. We also were able to acquire those extra spaces, which opened us up to an expansion piece.”

Demolition starts today on the extra six tenant spaces in the center purchased by Giant Eagle that are directly next to the main entrance of the building, which ultimately will add 6,000 square feet to the existing store.

The space is currently at 65,000 square feet. Giant Eagle will receive the building permit within four to six weeks, with actual construction starting in mid-September.

The entire project should be done by September 2012, when Giant Eagle will hold a grand re-opening.

“Ultimately, we need to expand to really drive a better clientele into the store,” Marckisotto said. “We believe that since we haven’t remodeled for about 10 years, we have lost a lot of customers to some of the newer stores because of the offerings, and we want to try to bring those clientele back.”

The stores that moved out include Super Nails, Fox’s Pizza, and GNC, which moved down a space.

New features will include dry cleaning, a full service cheese shop, a full service gourmet foods department with a salad, soup and hot bar, sushi, and a sub shop.

When finished, the Giant Eagle also will sell six packs of beer in the cafe area. Whether or not to sell wine in kiosks has yet to be decided.

While the expansion and remodeling project comes underway today, Marckisotto said it is not connected to the current talks ocurring between the , which may become a GetGo gas station in the future.

“We are fighting for it,” he said. “It’s another offering for our customers instead of them having to drive to Wilkinsburg or Homestead so we are pushing for it, but it’s out of our hands.”

While the changes are occurring at the current location, Marckisotto said staff is working to make sure the disruptions will be minimal. Temporary department and product relocations may occur throughout the timeline.

“With the expansion piece, it will be behind the scenes for a large part of the operation while the rest will be phased,” he said. “No departments will be out of service.”

The Edgewood Towne Center Giant Eagle opened about 20 years ago. This is its biggest construction project yet.

“We have been here for 20 years and hope to be here for 20 more,” Marckisotto said.