Could Fort Collins’ Oldest King Soopers Be Closing? Here’s What It’ll Become If It Does

Plans to tear down and ultimately cease operations at the oldest King Soopers in Fort Collins are moving forward.

On Wednesday (May 18), the Coloradoan reported that developers are now moving into the next phases with preliminary plans to raze an existing Fort Collins King Soopers building -located at 2211 S. College Ave. - in anticipation of the opening of a newer, larger King Soopers at 2535 S. College Ave, just a short walking distance south from the outdated grocery store. 

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What will take the place of the oldest King Soopers in Fort Collins, should it be torn down?

The South College Ave property that had been used since 1964 to provide the community with produce, snacks, drinks, and other various grocery items will now be used to provide the community with additional housing options.

According to the Coloradoan, should plans continue to progress in the direction of tearing down the King Soopers, additional businesses such as Car Toys, Visionworks, and the former Performance Cycle building would be razed to make room for a new 224-unit multifamily building equipped with brand-new apartments, called Edison at University Square. 

At this time, no formal plans have been submitted to the city; however, a neighborhood meeting is scheduled to be held on Thursday, May 26 to further discuss the potential project and in an effort to get community feedback.

The proposed project described above is among the first large, multifamily developments not specifically geared toward college students right on the MAX bus rapid transit line since it began running in 2014, the Coloradoan says; the corridor has been looked at as a prime target area for redevelopment.

"It would help realize one of the city's key visions for the Midtown corridor," Clay Frickey, the city of Fort Collins' redevelopment program manager told the Coloradoan. 

 What is "Midtown" Fort Collins?

The city of Fort Collins defines "Midtown" as the area along College Avenue from Prospect Road to Harmony Road.

"We also would like to see more housing close to job opportunities and transit," Frickey added.

"Edison could help bring more people to Midtown, close to MAX, and close to CSU and downtown."

Popular grocery store chain King Soopers leases its current store on South College and has been stationed there for decades. At a mighty (tiny) 50,000 square feet, it is the smallest and oldest of the Fort Collins King Soopers store and is about half the size of its planned replacement.