The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) was authorized by City Council today to purchase a former grocery building in West Garfield Park to foster its reuse for food-related sales.

DPD would purchase the property if the current owner’s efforts to sell the building do not result in its re-use as a grocery store. In that event, DPD can intervene through its authority to purchase and control the site for a grocery store or related use that serves community needs.

Located at 3811-41 W. Madison St., the 15,050-square-foot building was constructed by Aldi Grocery Stores in the early 1990s and includes an adjacent 63-space parking lot. Aldi abruptly closed the store in October 2021 and is marketing it for sale for $700,000.

The store's closure eliminated a convenient source of food for approximately 15,000 residents while also creating a void within the Madison Street commercial corridor.

DPD's potential efforts to locate a new grocery could be solicited through a community-driven Request for Proposals (RFP) process or related effort. Acquisition funding would be provided through the Madison/Austin Tax Increment Financing district.