BY MIKE FUHRMAN

Is Target coming to Statesville?

While there is certainly compelling evidence that the retail giant is strongly considering construction of a new store at the old Newtowne Plaza site just off Interstate 77, nothing is official. And answers are pretty tough to come by.

Here’s what we know:

First, a Target spokeswoman would not confirm or deny that the company is looking at the planned commercial development, which is being rebranded as Gateway on Broad.

“We are continually evaluating potential store locations to serve new guests, but I don’t have any new-store news to share at this time,” Loni Moore said in an email response to a query about Target’s possible interest in Statesville.

The property is being developed by the current owner, Interstate Development Co. Demolition of existing structures on the approximately 28-acre site is underway. 

A plan for a proposed commercial development on the site was filed with the City of Statesville last month by Statesville-based G.L. Wilson Building Co. In addition to three restaurants and 33,000 square feet of additional retail space, the plan calls for construction of a 128,690-square-foot anchor store referred to on the plan only as “national retailer,” along with 525 parking spaces.

City officials who are working with the development team said they could not confirm that the “national retailer” was Target.

However, the plan on file in the Planning Department includes a rendering that certainly resembles a Target store. The documents also include what appears to be a small Target logo and the color scheme for the property includes the color “Target red.”

The anchor store in the site plan for Gateway on Broad is also approximately the same size as other Target stores currently under construction in North Carolina. According to the company’s website, new stores under construction in Fayette, Mebane and Myrtle Grove are all approximately 128,000 square feet.

A representative of Interstate Development Co. stressed that nothing has been finalized, and an announcement about the identity of the “national retailer” is not imminent a this point in time. 

“We’re going through site prep requirements by a national tenet, but nothing has been finalized,” said Robb Collier, a partner in Interstate Development Co. “We’ve been told we ‘ve got one of the top development sites in the State of North Carolina because of the location.”

What’s Next?

The site plan is currently undergoing a technical review by city staff to ensure that it conforms to all city ordinances and guidelines for construction materials, stormwater management, parking and more. The process includes an evaluation by planning, stormwater, police, fire and other departments. A traffic impact analysis is also in the works.

That review should be completed within the next two to three weeks, according to Planning Director Erika Martin, who called the development “transformational.”

The plan is not require approval by the Planning Board or the City Council because it does not require a change to its zoning.