Macon based community organizer Erion Smith announced today that he has successfully negotiated a tri-party agreement with Active Media Services, Inc. (“Active”) and Axela Development Group, LLC (“Axela”) regarding planned future development at the site of the former City Center Kroger in midtown Macon.

Active, a frequent buyer of shuttered Kroger buildings across the country, is the current owner of the property located at 400 PioNoNo Avenue. Axela, a Connecticut based real estate developer, has a contract to buy the property and plans to develop climate controlled storage units at the site, subject to approval by Macon Bibb Planning and Zoning.

Under the terms of the contract Axela will reserve a portion of the existing building for a grocery store and will actively market the space to prospective grocers for up to 3 years or until a suitable occupant is found.

Active, for its part, has agreed to make a cash investment into the local community to aid in efforts to alleviate the food desert in Macon. A portion of the funds will also go to surrounding neighborhood associations to help them build capacity and advocate for their residents. Jeffrey Pappas, Sr.VicePresident of Active, issued the following statement:

“I am pleased to be a part of the team that will revitalize the former Kroger property as well as helping to meet the needs of the local community by providing an easy access grocery store. I am particularly gratified to have met the leaders of the local community and worked with them and the new ownership to create an economically viable project which will relieve the food desert problem and provide the potential for new jobs.

Helping to solve such problems in a local community such as Macon, GA is a great perk of my job. I look forward to seeing the benefits of this project come to fruition.”

When the project first came up for consideration at Macon Bibb Planning and Zoning Smith led a group of dozens of citizens from the nearby neighborhoods to object to the development. The project was deferred at its initial consideration and was voted down 4 to 1 at its second hearing. The primary objection to the original concept was that it was exclusively storage units and included no viable options to replace the Kroger, which closed more than 2 years prior.

After a slightly contentious start, the three parties (Active, Axela and Erion Smith) came together and over a period of several months of back and forth negotiations reached an amicable and mutually beneficial agreement that specifically calls for:

1. Not less than 15,000 square feet of the existing footprint will be reserved for a grocery store with access to the existing loading dock.

2. Active will make a community investment of $55,000 to be used to assist in alleviating the Macon food desert and to help build capacity in neighborhood organizations.

3. Based on the adaptive reuse of the property, the neighborhood residents will support the revised application before Macon Bibb Planning and Zoning

4. The agreement will be effective upon the closing of the sale of the property by Active to Axela

Smith strongly believes that the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods are happy to support the revamped project. He went on to say:

“Before it was a situation where if the proposal passed we were guaranteed to remain in a food desert. Now, with the cooperation of A ctive and Axela, if the revised proposal passes it will be our best chance to get out of the food desert. I want to usher in a new way of doing business in Macon where economic development is something that happens with our neighborhoods and not something that happens t o our neighborhoods. We will enthusiastically urge Planning and Zoning to pass this project. It’s a win/win for all involved.”