photo by: Bremen Keasey

Representatives from Dillon's grocery store, KU Endowment, the Chamber of Commerce and Lawrence Mayor Bart Littlejohn taking part in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Dillon's at Iowa Street and 21st Street. The development is a $30 million investment that will anchor KU's The Crossing project.

Representatives from Dillons, KU Endowment, the City of Lawrence and the Lawrence chamber of commerce celebrated the groundbreaking of a new Dillons grocery store for the University of Kansas’ mixed-use west campus project at the intersection of 21st and Iowa streets.

The Journal-World reported in May about the plans for the new store, which will anchor a major new commercial development on the KU west campus. Steve Dreher, the president of Dillon Stores, said he was pleased to mark the start of what will be a $30 million capital investment in the new store.

Dreher said the Kansas-based chain first came to Lawrence in 1960 and has invested $12 million in building and growing stores over the last decade. He said he was excited for the project to be in the heart of the development at KU.

“This will be considered a flagship store,” Dreher said. “We’re proud to be growing business in this very special community.”

Dreher said the new location will eventually replace the current Dillons on 23rd Street and will have 86,000 square feet of retail space, about 30,000 more square feet than the 23rd Street store. The 23rd Street location will stay open until construction of the new store is complete.

As part of the expanded space, Dillons plans to hire at least 150 new employees, including in management positions. Some of the highlights of the new site will be an expanded presence for Murray’s Cheese Shop, which sells a variety of artisan cheeses in several Dillons locations; an in-store Starbucks and a pharmacy with a drive-thru.

Dreher also said the new store would incorporate sustainable technology, including a refrigeration system that will have lower greenhouse gas emissions than other types of refrigeration systems.

KU leaders previously told the Journal-World that a grocery store was something they really wanted to anchor the mixed-use development on the west campus, which they’re calling The Crossing@KU.

Dan Martin, the president of KU Endowment, said the property had been controlled by the university since 1942. He said that he was glad to have a long-standing Kansas company partnering with KU, and that he thought the store would help with other parts of the west campus project.

“We believe this will be a resource that will attract and retain businesses,” Martin said.

Along with the Dillons, the idea behind the west campus project is to put retail, housing and additional office space next to university research labs. KU leaders are betting such amenities will be helpful in attracting private companies that want to be close to KU researchers and students.

Mayor Bart Littlejohn said that the investment on the west campus was a “bold step forward” for Lawrence, and that he hoped the project would serve as a hub for growth.

Sheila Regehr, a spokeswoman for Dillons, said the actual construction is expected to start soon, and the company is hopeful for a “ribbon cutting ceremony” sometime early next year.