Deal finalized for Dick's Sporting Goods to open Ann Arbor-area store
The deal is done to move Dick’s Sporting Goods into the former Linens 'n Things store on Lohr Road in Pittsfield Township.
The national sporting goods retailer — which spent years scouting its first store location in Washtenaw County and zeroed in on this location early this year — now has a chance to open by Christmas, said Tom Goldberg.
“Hopefully construction can start promptly in the next few months,” said Goldberg, an owner of the Waters Place Shopping Center.
From PREIT
The chain sought permission from Pittsfield Township in March to modify the space, including the exterior entrance, and making an addition to the rear of the store.
Those changes were sent to the township’s planning staff to make the administrative changes to the site plans, since a planning commission vote wasn’t necessary.
“We have a couple of issues to deal with on the engineering end, but we’re probably not very long from having final administrative approval and being able to issue a final site plan certificate,” said Paul Montago, township planner.
Building permits have been submitted, he added, and they’ll be issued after the changes are finalized.
Dick’s previously had a deal to build on Briarwood Circle, then in 2007 sought to build at 3060 Lohr, where a self-storage facility is located.
Finalizing the deal in the Ann Arbor market “reconfirms the vitality of the trade area,” Goldberg said. “They’re very selective in terms of their locations.”
It’s also good for the community because it fills a large existing retail vacancy, Montagno said.
“That they’re able to work with property owners there to get a high-quality business in that area is going to be good for the community,” he said.
Paula Gardner is Business News Director of AnnArbor.com. Contact her at 734-623-2586 or by email. Sign up for the weekly Business Review newsletter, distributed every Thursday, here.
Comments
Joe Wood
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
Wish there was was some retail businesses on the north side of A.A.
misstheink
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
Where am I going to find Halloween City?
Whatever!
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 1:43 p.m.
Actually from the minutes of the last Pittsfield Township Planning Commission, they approved this project with little debate. Infill project. Already existing vacant store. Made sense. Just how would Dick's pass the Pittsfield Township planning commission anyway? All major projects go through planning commission. It's laughable that everyone is so up in arms about Costco, and wanting it to be plopped down in a congested area with no thought or planning. See how much people complain if the traffic becomes impassable. Oh wait, they'll just blame the Township after having complained to get the very thing in that's causing the traffic. I hope the township uses good sense and is deliberative, and doesn't listen to the "Costco NOW, I WANT MY 50 roll toilet paper packages" people!!!!
shepard145
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:59 p.m.
Oh goody, now Ann Arbor will have the opportunity to over pay for sporting goods!!
Bill
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.
I'm pleased to see a good sporting goods store in this area. It will provide another reason for shopping in this center, thus helping to reduce the number of inidividual stops required for shopping.
Basic Bob
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 5:17 p.m.
Dick's is lucky they were able to bypass the Pittsfield planning commission entirely. Pittsfield's new master plan is: we have no plan, but check back next year.
OLDTIMER3
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 5:07 p.m.
@ricebrnr And what is wrong with another store selling firearms and other sporting goods.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 6:04 p.m.
Not one little thing Oldtimer. I welcome it! It was the sheeple I was worried for.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.
Oh Lordy! Another establishment selling firearms in Ann Arbor!!! The horror (for you sheeple)
Moscow On The Huron
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:08 p.m.
No, check the address again. It's "Oh Lohrdy."
braggslaw
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
There was a need for a comprehensive sporting good store in Ann Arbor. Dicks has a good selection of rifles and shotguns, fishing gear, camping gear, as well as all the necessities for high school sports. Their rewards program is also a good feature.
Buster W.
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.
Rifles and shotguns in Ann Arbor? Oh my...
Knobby Kabushka
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 1:24 p.m.
I read some articles a little while ago that predicted that leisure and entertainment will be the coming top money making industry for this country in the next 5 to 10 years - so this seems to fit the pattern...
grye
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 12:22 p.m.
Unless this is an April Fools post, strongly suggest you walk or ride a bike everywhere. That will reduce you carbon footprint.
Moscow On The Huron
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:58 a.m.
This is good news. The selection at Dunham's is limited and their staff is notoriously surly and limited in their knowledge and availability. MC Sports is pretty good, but it's in the mall, and not being a teenager, I don't go to the mall much. And while I'm on the topic of sporting goods and uninformed store clerks, here's a tip for parents looking for a new baseball bat for their kid: check the new rules for bats and make sure you buy one that won't be banned next year.
Laura J
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:45 a.m.
You must be kidding...
Mike
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:21 a.m.
What about the added traffic? There's less traffic when the building is vacant and our carbon footprint is smaller since it's one less place for people to go. Once gas gets up to $7.00 a gallon that will help. Everyone just needs to consume less and opening this store isn't going to help that and hurts the planet.
Moscow On The Huron
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 12:18 p.m.
Also, people buy bicycles at sporting goods stores and then go out and ride them instead of driving their cars, so isn't that helping reduce their "carbon footprint?" And people who buy stuff at sporting goods stores are more likely to go out and play rather than sit around the house using electrical devices like TVs and video games with all the lights tuned on, so isn't that helping reduce their "carbon footprint?" By the way, is "carbon footprint" what happens when I step in some charcoal and then come in the house and track it onto the carpet? If so, then I'm all for reducing it because last time I did that my wife yelled at me and I had to sleep on the couch.
Corrington
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 12:18 p.m.
April Fools, right Mike?
Moscow On The Huron
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 12:07 p.m.
Although, if we're going to be using bows and arrows, we'll need a sporting goods store!
5c0++ H4d13y
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : noon
You're right. They should just rip the building down and we should all revert to hunter gatherers. Now where can I get a bow and arrow?
Moscow On The Huron
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:50 a.m.
Kool-aid drinking aside, this actually puts a decent sporting good store near other stores we need to visit, making for shorter trips. That is, if there was such a thing as the human-caused environmental issues you reference, it would actually be a good thing. However, the traffic problems were definitely caused by humans who designed the horrible traffic patterns around there. Same for the Briarwood and Arborland areas.
tdw
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 11:25 a.m.
sigh.....