Groundbreaking Signals
New Supermarket and Shopping Center
on La Salle University’s Campus

La Salle Neighborhood to have its first grocery store in 40 years.

La Salle University hosted the groundbreaking for a new $15 million shopping center on Monday, October 29 on the University’s Good Shepherd property, located on Chew Avenue between Church Lane and Wister Street. 

The 80,000-square foot shopping center is the result of a partnership among La Salle University, retail developer Moreland Development, Fresh Grocer and elected officials. In 2004, State Representative John Myers and other concerned citizens met with State Representative Dwight Evans to address the issue that La Salle’s neighbors had no access to affordable, quality supermarkets.

From left:  Pat Burns, from Fresh Grocer, Eric Seidman, with Moreland Development, State Rep. Dwight Evans, William Sautter, chairman of La Salle's Board of Trustees, Brother Michael McGinniss, F.S.C., Ph.D., La Salle President, State Sen. LeAnna Washington, Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, and State Rep. John Meyers.

Evans, a La Salle alumnus, presented the idea of bringing a neighborhood shopping center to the University’s administration. After reviewing the impact that such a development could have on the neighborhood, the University committed to the project by leasing their Good Shepherd property to Moreland Development.  

At the groundbreaking, Evans told the audience, “No one does anything by themselves. The key element to all of this is leadership—people working together to make a difference, and that is what is taking place in this community.” 

“This is the first part of what we hope to be a continuing involvement and partnership with the community to make life better for everybody,” said Brother Michael J. McGinniss, F.S.C., Ph.D., President of La Salle University. “We’re very interested in the well-being of the communities around us and in every individual’s well-being. So you are hopefully going to see us as an ongoing partner with you (the community).” 

The Shoppes at La Salle will be anchored by a 50,000-square foot Fresh Grocer, bringing a grocery store to the neighborhood for the first time in 40 years. A Starbucks Café, a T-Mobile, GameStop, and America’s Best Eyewear have also signed on as tenants. The site will also have a free-standing Rite-Aid pharmacy and a bank.    

In addition to Reps. Evans and Myers, the Shoppes at La Salle retail initiative involves the backing of other political representatives, including State Senator LeAnna M. Washington and Philadelphia Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, who made remarks at the ceremonial groundbreaking. 

The retail center will be financed with assistance from a $4 million grant from the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a community revitalization program aimed to increase the number of supermarkets in underserved communities across the commonwealth. “As a graduate of La Salle and a neighbor ‘up the block,’ I am proud that one of the first projects for the Fresh Food Financing Initiative is a grocery store in this neighborhood,” said Evans. 

In addition to the labor for the construction of the retail center, more than 250 jobs will be created when the Fresh Grocer and other businesses open. The retail center is expected to be completed by Fall 2008.