As appeared in Indianapolis Star

By Jeff Swlatek

Grocery being built on former Atlas site to feature rooftop parking

Rooftop parking will solve a space crunch at the new Fresh Market grocery being built at the site of the former Atlas Supermarket at 54th Street and College Avenue.

Reece-Campbell, Inc., a Cincinnati contractor, said Monday it has begun construction on the 28,116 square foot store.

To supply enough parking in the limited space, the roof of the store will be used.

The number of planned parking spaces was not available. Shoppers will enter the store's parking ramp from 54th Street.

“In urban redevelopment, we're always challenged by space limitations for building,” said Pete Chronis, president of Reece-Campbell, in a statement.

Rooftop parking is “an emerging trend in this area for not only grocery stores but other retail developers,” he said.

Indianapolis based Kite Realty Group is developing the grocery for about $2.5 million. Opening is planned for May, seven months later than Kite's original projection.

The new store will be part of the North Carolina based Fresh Market chain, which has another store in Cannel.

Caroline Farrar of the Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association, said the store "brings hack a vital place for people to connect with each other a social and financial hub in the heart of our neighborhood. We are thrilled with the outcome of rooftop parking. It answers the huge space dilemma we faced.'

Atlas Supermarket closed four years ago, after 55 years at its corner location. Indianapolis-based Marsh Supermarkets had plans for a replacement store, but ended up selling the site to Kite,