Third Albertson's to open this spring

Carson City's third Albertson's Food & Drug Center should be open by spring 2001.

Carson City regional planning commissioners approved a permit for a 63,000-square-foot grocery store and six-pump gas station to be built on the corner of College Parkway and North Carson Street.

The location will put the Albertson's store in competition with Super Kmart's grocery store and a 7-Eleven gas station across North Carson Street.

Albertson's Senior Real Estate Manager Mike Emmert said studies by the grocery chain showed customers in north Carson were not being served by the stores on South Carson Street and Highway 50. Emmert hopes the store will draw not only customers wanting to avoid traffic, but also draw new customers.

Emmert said dirt work would begin about April 1. The store should be open by spring 2001 at the latest. The building's layout is similar to the other two stores. The store will boast 48,750 square feet of landscaping and 358 parking spaces.

The store sits on a 6.5-acre site owned by Julius Ballardini. Ballardini said he planned more commercial office development on land bordering the Albertsons site.