Walgreens to be built, expected summer ’06

by Amanda Keisel KEI02004@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

Construction workers began working on realigning an alleyway between First East and Second East streets last week. This was in preparation for a new Walgreens drugstore to be built on the corner of Second East and Main streets.

Edstrom Construction has been contracted to demolish a building formerly used as an office for Idaho Department of Corrections and Parole.

The building is being removed to create room for an alleyway to be moved south. The parole office has been relocated to 310 North Second East street.

Parking spaces will be sparse as the construction continues.

The demolition has been delayed until this point due to soil contamination under the parking lot of the Madison County Administration Building.

The Department of Environmental Quality mandated a cleanup of the petroleum contaminates that were found all the way down to the bedrock under the parking lot.

One of the test wells, drilled to ensure that contamination has not seeped through the bedrock layer and into the ground water, is placed where the Walgreens parking lot will be, but shouldn’t cause a problem with the project.

Walgreens’ developer Phillips Edison and Co. is just waiting for Rexburg Motor Sports to move to its new location before pressing forward with development.

Phillips Edison is scheduled to take over the building in November.

The Walgreens is expected to open next summer.