Applicant Narrative AWS
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KROGER STORE SW543 EXPANSION LAMAR BOULEVARD, ARLINGTON, TEXAS The Kroger Company is proposing to expand and perform a complete remodel of the existing Kroger Store located on Lamar Boulevard just west of Cooper Street in North Arlington. This store has a high customer volume and the proposed expansion will provide additional products for this customer base. To perform this expansion, the existing Planned Development District (PD15-11) Site Plan will need to be modified for the new expanded building, associated additional parking, vehicle circulation modifications and modified site landscaping. Additionally, the Kroger Company is proposing to include in this PD Site Plan a modification of the prior approved second Fueling Center adjacent to Cooper Street. This fuel center is to provide relief for the existing Fuel Center which experiences very high demand. This second previously approved Fuel Center will include a Kiosk with restrooms, Canopy, two underground storage tanks, accessible parking and an air/water pad. The proposed modification is to move the on-site parking stalls to provide for a landscape screening buffer as described at the end of the next paragraph. The existing building façade and color scheme will be incorporated into the proposed expansion to maintain continuity with the existing facility and adjacent retail building to the west. This conformity with the existing façade is illustrated on the building elevations provided with the PD Site Plan. The existing landscape scheme is also proposed to be extended along the Lamar Boulevard street frontage and within the proposed parking lot expansion to maintain a uniform and consistent design throughout the development. Additional landscaping in terms of trees and shrubs are to be provided at the Villas of Pebblebrook entry to provide screening between the residential and commercial developments. At the proposed Fuel Center, a minimum 10-foot wide landscape screening buffer is being provided between the Fuel Center and the rear of the older existing retail center located on Lot 1A1, Block 8R, Green’s Field Addition. As a key item of this proposed expansion and remodel, Kroger wants to add a new “Click List” service at this facility that will be a significant benefit to the surrounding community. The “Click List” service is an on-line grocery ordering system with a curb side pick-up at a designated location on the site. The pick-up location is a set of parking spaces that has an individual “Click List” sign on each space (see included example sign photos). The customer pulls-in and parks in these spaces out of the drive lanes for grocery pick-up. The spaces are also designated with pavement marking and individual identifying numbers (see provided example photos) that are used by the customer when checking in with Click List employee. The customer upon arrival, calls the phone number provided on the Click List parking stall sign, and informs the Kroger employee of who they are and what stall they are parked in. A Kroger employee will
then bring the customer’s order out of the store in bins on carts to the customer’s vehicle and loads them into the vehicle for the customer. To ensure that congestion does not occur at the pick-up location and that the customer receives a high quality of service (i.e. orders are ready on-time), the number of pickups allowed within any one-hour period are controlled by the individual Kroger store through the on-line ordering system. When the customer completes their order online, they are provided a list of one-hour window pick-up times available the day the order is made or for a later date. At potential spike pick-up times (i.e. weekdays immediately after work), the store can reduce or further limit the number of pick-ups allowed to avoid congestion during those potential high peak times. For new store locations, the typical number of Click List parking spaces is eight (8), but for existing stores where they are added, the number of spaces will vary from four (4) to eight (8) depending on the ability to create them within the existing site development. The Click List hours of operation is from 7am to 9pm seven (7) days a week. To assist Click List customers locate the pick-up location, directional signage will be placed on the site near street entrances and within the parking lot directing customers to the location of the Click List pick-up parking stalls. Examples of the Click List signage are provided at the end of this narrative for reference. The following variables were the major factors in selecting a location on the site for the Click List pick-up location: 1) Location within the building for the Click List staging area and coolers which affects the internal layout, remodel logistics for construction and ultimate expansion capability. A further description of the internal remodel, construction logistics and customer impacts are provided later in this narrative. 2) Vehicular congestion, employee and patron safety at the Click List pick-up parking space location. 3) Site grades at the Click List pick-up parking location which will affect the carts utilized by employees bringing deliveries out to the customers vehicles.
Four (4) separate locations for the Click List pick-up location including the one presented on the PD Site Plan were evaluated considering the variables above. Option 1: The first location that was evaluated is the location shown on the current PD Site Plan that was approved by the City Council on April 12, 2016 (see Insert image below). As the development of the building expansion and internal remodel plans progressed, it became apparent that this option would result in a longer construction time, more significant impacts on customers during construction and most importantly, would provide less opportunity to provide new fresh produce, baked goods and deli options due to a smaller building expansion footprint.
Option 2: The location of the Click List pick-up is moved to a location in front of the building, an internal flip of the building layout is performed moving the Pharmacy and Pharmacy Drivethru to the northwest end of the building. As a plus, this allows the building footprint expansion to be maximized to allow the desired addition of products for the customer, reduces construction duration, cost and impacts on the customer during construction. However, the staging area and coolers associated with the Click List would need to be located at the building front corner adjacent to the relocated Pharmacy to be near the pick-up location. This configuration will require that the bank located within the store would have to be removed which is a loss of service to the customer and revenue for Kroger. Another substantial negative for this location is that this location is already a highly congested area on the site on the main store front drive, secondary, but highly used drive access off Lamar Boulevard and adjacent to the heavily used Fuel Center. The addition of the Click List at this location add to an already congested location. Additionally, the existing pavement grades while not bad, are somewhat steeper than desired to park carts on while loading groceries increasing the potential for a cart to unintentionally roll away.
Option 3: The location of the Click List pick-up is moved to a location on the northwest side of the building, an internal flip of the building layout is performed moving the Pharmacy and Pharmacy Drive-thru to the northwest end of the building. As a plus, this allows the building footprint expansion to be maximized to allow the desired addition of products for the customer, reduces construction duration, cost and impacts on the customer during construction. However, the staging area and coolers associated with the Click List would need to be located at the building front corner adjacent to the relocated Pharmacy to be near the pick-up location. This configuration will require that the bank located within the store would have to be removed which is a loss of service to the customer and revenue for Kroger. This location is less congested that the Option 2 location since there is limited traffic that goes around the rear of the building. Also, there is sufficient space at this location to maximum the number of spaces. However, the drive aisle and pharmacy drive-thru lane create a narrower area in which the grocery delivery carts are likely to be set-up in the fire lane while the groceries are loaded into the customer vehicles.
Option 4 (Preferred Option): The location of the Click List pick-up is moved to a location at the rear north corner of the building, an internal flip of the building layout is performed moving the Pharmacy and Pharmacy Drive-thru to the northwest end of the building. This option will allow the building footprint expansion to be maximized to allow the desired addition of products for the customer, reduces construction duration, cost and impacts on the customer during construction. It will allow the staging area and coolers associated with the Click List to be in the rear of the building at that corner. While it only provides for six (6) pick-up stalls, this option will allow the bank located within the store to remain, therefore maximizing the services available to the customer services at this store. This location is considerably less congested that the Option 2 location and there will also be a large “dead space” of concrete outside of the fire lane at the pick-up spaces for employees to set-up the delivery carts in. Concerns were raised about the potential for congestion at this location with Click List customers, pharmacy drive-thru customers and truck deliveries, but based on typical scheduling of deliveries and pharmacy visits, this area will be less congested than either Option 2 or 3. The scheduled truck delivery window for this store is in morning hours beginning well before the Click List pick-ups begin, or the pharmacy is open for business. (See typical delivery schedule for this store below). The typical pharmacy drive-thru prescription drop-off or pick-up occurs after a doctor’s appointment which typically in the midmorning or mid-afternoon times. The pharmacy hours for this location and transaction data from the existing pharmacy drive-up window are provided below which illustrate that on average there are only five (5) drive-up customers per hour at this store location. This option is the best location for the Click List pick-up parking for purposes of providing the greatest number of services to the store customers, has the least amount of congestion around the spaces between Options 2, 3 and 4 and provides the safest conditions for the Click List customers and employees. This is the option being presented for consideration and approval.
Kroger Store Interior Considerations affecting Click List Location: Kroger evaluated multiple options for locating the Click List on-line ordering staging area within the store. Due to the operation logistics for the Click List service, Kroger found that the optimal location for the staging area within the store is on the same side of building as the pharmacy drive-through at the rear of the store. This location is consistent with the location for the staging area in all the new store construction prototypes. Kroger evaluated locating the Click List staging area in the front of the store as an option. This option is not preferred because the existing bank within the store cannot be accommodated and would have to be removed. This would be a substantial loss to Kroger as the bank increases patronage of the store and would be a loss of convenience to the customer base. The rear corner of the store on the opposite side from the pharmacy drive-through was also evaluated for the staging area. This location is not desirable as it would interfere with perishable department (delicatessen / bakery / meat) layout resulting in a reduced product allocation and restricted available product variety.
Pharmacy Drive-up Data The pharmacy hours of operation are as follows: Monday through Friday: Saturday: Sunday:
9am to 9pm 9am to 7pm 10am to 4pm
The pharmacy drive-up window had the following number of transactions over the months of June, July and August: June: July: August:
1,669 for an average of 60 / day 1,582 for an average of 57 / day 1,737 for an average of 62 / day
This is an overall average of 59 transactions per day or approximately 5 vehicles per hour on average. The majority of the pharmacy business is conducted as walk-ups inside the store as customers perform other shopping. The information above was provided by the Kroger Store SW543 per the existing pharmacy drive-up window cash register records.
Kroger DSD Store No. SW543 Delivery Schedule: All deliveries to this store are as follows: Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday
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4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The majority of the DSD deliveries occur in the early mornings before 9 a.m. No Deliveries are scheduled for Wednesday and Sunday.
KROGER STORE SW543 EXPANSION LAMAR BOULEVARD, ARLINGTON, TEXAS The Kroger Company is proposing to expand and perform a complete remodel of the existing Kroger Store located on Lamar Boulevard just west of Cooper Street in North Arlington. This store has a high customer volume and the proposed expansion will provide additional products for this customer base. To perform this expansion, the existing Planned Development District (PD15-11) Site Plan will need to be modified for the new expanded building, associated additional parking, vehicle circulation modifications and modified site landscaping. Additionally, the Kroger Company is proposing to include in this PD Site Plan a modification of the prior approved second Fueling Center adjacent to Cooper Street. This fuel center is to provide relief for the existing Fuel Center which experiences very high demand. This second previously approved Fuel Center will include a Kiosk with restrooms, Canopy, two underground storage tanks, accessible parking and an air/water pad. The proposed modification is to move the on-site parking stalls to provide for a landscape screening buffer as described at the end of the next paragraph. The existing building façade and color scheme will be incorporated into the proposed expansion to maintain continuity with the existing facility and adjacent retail building to the west. This conformity with the existing façade is illustrated on the building elevations provided with the PD Site Plan. The existing landscape scheme is also proposed to be extended along the Lamar Boulevard street frontage and within the proposed parking lot expansion to maintain a uniform and consistent design throughout the development. Additional landscaping in terms of trees and shrubs are to be provided at the Villas of Pebblebrook entry to provide screening between the residential and commercial developments. At the proposed Fuel Center, a minimum 10-foot wide landscape screening buffer is being provided between the Fuel Center and the rear of the older existing retail center located on Lot 1A1, Block 8R, Green’s Field Addition. As a key item of this proposed expansion and remodel, Kroger wants to add a new “Click List” service at this facility that will be a significant benefit to the surrounding community. The “Click List” service is an on-line grocery ordering system with a curb side pick-up at a designated location on the site. The pick-up location is a set of parking spaces that has an individual “Click List” sign on each space (see included example sign photos). The customer pulls-in and parks in these spaces out of the drive lanes for grocery pick-up. The spaces are also designated with pavement marking and individual identifying numbers (see provided example photos) that are used by the customer when checking in with Click List employee. The customer upon arrival, calls the phone number provided on the Click List parking stall sign, and informs the Kroger employee of who they are and what stall they are parked in. A Kroger employee will
then bring the customer’s order out of the store in bins on carts to the customer’s vehicle and loads them into the vehicle for the customer. To ensure that congestion does not occur at the pick-up location and that the customer receives a high quality of service (i.e. orders are ready on-time), the number of pickups allowed within any one-hour period are controlled by the individual Kroger store through the on-line ordering system. When the customer completes their order online, they are provided a list of one-hour window pick-up times available the day the order is made or for a later date. At potential spike pick-up times (i.e. weekdays immediately after work), the store can reduce or further limit the number of pick-ups allowed to avoid congestion during those potential high peak times. For new store locations, the typical number of Click List parking spaces is eight (8), but for existing stores where they are added, the number of spaces will vary from four (4) to eight (8) depending on the ability to create them within the existing site development. The Click List hours of operation is from 7am to 9pm seven (7) days a week. To assist Click List customers locate the pick-up location, directional signage will be placed on the site near street entrances and within the parking lot directing customers to the location of the Click List pick-up parking stalls. Examples of the Click List signage are provided at the end of this narrative for reference. The following variables were the major factors in selecting a location on the site for the Click List pick-up location: 1) Location within the building for the Click List staging area and coolers which affects the internal layout, remodel logistics for construction and ultimate expansion capability. A further description of the internal remodel, construction logistics and customer impacts are provided later in this narrative. 2) Vehicular congestion, employee and patron safety at the Click List pick-up parking space location. 3) Site grades at the Click List pick-up parking location which will affect the carts utilized by employees bringing deliveries out to the customers vehicles.
Four (4) separate locations for the Click List pick-up location including the one presented on the PD Site Plan were evaluated considering the variables above. Option 1: The first location that was evaluated is the location shown on the current PD Site Plan that was approved by the City Council on April 12, 2016 (see Insert image below). As the development of the building expansion and internal remodel plans progressed, it became apparent that this option would result in a longer construction time, more significant impacts on customers during construction and most importantly, would provide less opportunity to provide new fresh produce, baked goods and deli options due to a smaller building expansion footprint.
Option 2: The location of the Click List pick-up is moved to a location in front of the building, an internal flip of the building layout is performed moving the Pharmacy and Pharmacy Drivethru to the northwest end of the building. As a plus, this allows the building footprint expansion to be maximized to allow the desired addition of products for the customer, reduces construction duration, cost and impacts on the customer during construction. However, the staging area and coolers associated with the Click List would need to be located at the building front corner adjacent to the relocated Pharmacy to be near the pick-up location. This configuration will require that the bank located within the store would have to be removed which is a loss of service to the customer and revenue for Kroger. Another substantial negative for this location is that this location is already a highly congested area on the site on the main store front drive, secondary, but highly used drive access off Lamar Boulevard and adjacent to the heavily used Fuel Center. The addition of the Click List at this location add to an already congested location. Additionally, the existing pavement grades while not bad, are somewhat steeper than desired to park carts on while loading groceries increasing the potential for a cart to unintentionally roll away.
Option 3: The location of the Click List pick-up is moved to a location on the northwest side of the building, an internal flip of the building layout is performed moving the Pharmacy and Pharmacy Drive-thru to the northwest end of the building. As a plus, this allows the building footprint expansion to be maximized to allow the desired addition of products for the customer, reduces construction duration, cost and impacts on the customer during construction. However, the staging area and coolers associated with the Click List would need to be located at the building front corner adjacent to the relocated Pharmacy to be near the pick-up location. This configuration will require that the bank located within the store would have to be removed which is a loss of service to the customer and revenue for Kroger. This location is less congested that the Option 2 location since there is limited traffic that goes around the rear of the building. Also, there is sufficient space at this location to maximum the number of spaces. However, the drive aisle and pharmacy drive-thru lane create a narrower area in which the grocery delivery carts are likely to be set-up in the fire lane while the groceries are loaded into the customer vehicles.
Option 4 (Preferred Option): The location of the Click List pick-up is moved to a location at the rear north corner of the building, an internal flip of the building layout is performed moving the Pharmacy and Pharmacy Drive-thru to the northwest end of the building. This option will allow the building footprint expansion to be maximized to allow the desired addition of products for the customer, reduces construction duration, cost and impacts on the customer during construction. It will allow the staging area and coolers associated with the Click List to be in the rear of the building at that corner. While it only provides for six (6) pick-up stalls, this option will allow the bank located within the store to remain, therefore maximizing the services available to the customer services at this store. This location is considerably less congested that the Option 2 location and there will also be a large “dead space” of concrete outside of the fire lane at the pick-up spaces for employees to set-up the delivery carts in. Concerns were raised about the potential for congestion at this location with Click List customers, pharmacy drive-thru customers and truck deliveries, but based on typical scheduling of deliveries and pharmacy visits, this area will be less congested than either Option 2 or 3. The scheduled truck delivery window for this store is in morning hours beginning well before the Click List pick-ups begin, or the pharmacy is open for business. (See typical delivery schedule for this store below). The typical pharmacy drive-thru prescription drop-off or pick-up occurs after a doctor’s appointment which typically in the midmorning or mid-afternoon times. The pharmacy hours for this location and transaction data from the existing pharmacy drive-up window are provided below which illustrate that on average there are only five (5) drive-up customers per hour at this store location. This option is the best location for the Click List pick-up parking for purposes of providing the greatest number of services to the store customers, has the least amount of congestion around the spaces between Options 2, 3 and 4 and provides the safest conditions for the Click List customers and employees. This is the option being presented for consideration and approval.
Kroger Store Interior Considerations affecting Click List Location: Kroger evaluated multiple options for locating the Click List on-line ordering staging area within the store. Due to the operation logistics for the Click List service, Kroger found that the optimal location for the staging area within the store is on the same side of building as the pharmacy drive-through at the rear of the store. This location is consistent with the location for the staging area in all the new store construction prototypes. Kroger evaluated locating the Click List staging area in the front of the store as an option. This option is not preferred because the existing bank within the store cannot be accommodated and would have to be removed. This would be a substantial loss to Kroger as the bank increases patronage of the store and would be a loss of convenience to the customer base. The rear corner of the store on the opposite side from the pharmacy drive-through was also evaluated for the staging area. This location is not desirable as it would interfere with perishable department (delicatessen / bakery / meat) layout resulting in a reduced product allocation and restricted available product variety.
Pharmacy Drive-up Data The pharmacy hours of operation are as follows: Monday through Friday: Saturday: Sunday:
9am to 9pm 9am to 7pm 10am to 4pm
The pharmacy drive-up window had the following number of transactions over the months of June, July and August: June: July: August:
1,669 for an average of 60 / day 1,582 for an average of 57 / day 1,737 for an average of 62 / day
This is an overall average of 59 transactions per day or approximately 5 vehicles per hour on average. The majority of the pharmacy business is conducted as walk-ups inside the store as customers perform other shopping. The information above was provided by the Kroger Store SW543 per the existing pharmacy drive-up window cash register records.
Kroger DSD Store No. SW543 Delivery Schedule: All deliveries to this store are as follows: Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday
-
4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. 4 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The majority of the DSD deliveries occur in the early mornings before 9 a.m. No Deliveries are scheduled for Wednesday and Sunday.
