Mayor Richard M. Daley today joined community leaders and residents to celebrate the opening of a new Shop & Save grocery store on the City’s Southwest Side.

The store, located at 5829 S. Archer Ave. in the City’s Garfield Ridge community, offers a full-service grocery with more than 60,000 square feet of retail space.

“In addition to bringing 200 new jobs to our City, this new store is providing another food shopping option for residents in this community,” Mayor Daley said. “The presence of retail grocers throughout Chicago is vital to the strength of our neighborhoods. It improves access to nutritious foods and spurs further economic growth.”

The redesign and the expansion of an existing building on the six acre site is part of the City’s continued emphasis on neighborhood revitalization.

“In these challenging economic times, it is important that we use every tool and program available to help protect our economy and working families,” Daley said.

The $15.6 million dollar development energizes an inactive retail center and is an example of how new business investment will provide expanded services for residents and create an economic anchor for the community.

The developer, Archer Advisors, LLC, rehabilitated the former Dominick’s food store, which closed in 2007, into a modern state-of-the-art “green” supermarket that sells a range of Latino and Eastern European products.

The retailer offers a wide range of fresh food choices, including produce, a deli, European-style bakery and a selection meats and seafood most of which is prepared on-site.

The City provided $3 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) from the Archer /Central TIF district towards the project. The project demonstrates how TIF dollars generated in the area have been reinvested in the community to help revitalize an existing but under-utilized shopping center.

“The building serves as a great example of what this type of investment creates and will serve as a catalyst to strengthen the community and bring new life and business activity to the area,” Daley said. “And this new store reflects what can be done when the public and private sectors work together.”

Building features include a new roof, energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems, windows, updated refrigeration equipment and a 2,000 square foot entranceway with a green roof that will help reduce the building’s effect on the environment by mitigating the urban heat island effect and lessening rain water drainage.

The developer is seeking the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for commercial interiors. Numerous sustainable elements were incorporated into the building’s design, including lighting power reduction features to take advantage of natural daylight, low-emitting materials and Energy Star equipment and appliances that will consume less energy and have a low impact on the environment.

Other green design elements included the use of numerous recycled materials during construction and the recycling of over 90 percent of construction debris.