Structure Essentially Complete on Massive Menards Building as Developer Talks Opening Date, Road Work
By Jeff Toquinto on November 27, 2023
As work continues on Menards and the roadways that will feed into it, questions about when it will open persist. One thing is for sure – it will not be opening before the end of the year.
“The building itself should be done by the end of the year, but then they will have to stock the store, which is a tremendous undertaking for a store of that size,” said Rob Stuart, the director of planning and engineering for Genesis Partners, the group responsible for the development of Charles Pointe.
So, when will it open?
“We do not have a definitive date, but we’re anticipating the first quarter of 2024,” said Stuart. “We are hoping to get an official date in the near future. We’re expecting it soon.”
Bridgeport Community Development Director Andrea Kerr believes the same.
“It looks like a first quarter opening next year,” she said. “We have not heard a first date of an opening.”
Calls to Menards Corporate offices were not returned.
Even with the date unknown, those who have seen the site and the building up close understand Stuart’s assessment on stocking the structure taking time. Not only is the site the building sits on massive, but the building itself qualifies as well.
Menards’ property is on a 17-acre site at the soon-to-be thriving Charles Pointe Commons. There are 67 acres available for development there and, although no names have been revealed, multiple groups are in lease negotiations for sites at the new development just off of Jerry Dove Drive.
Already, Mon General has announced they will have a multi-million-dollar community hospital on the site and the state has approved the hospital’s Certificate of Need. That will likely happen in 2024.
In October of 2022, a Menards official said the main building will be slightly more than 200,000 square feet, while the warehouse – which will be a drive-through facility – will add another 40,000 square feet. Square footage of a security building was not available that will be on the site.
“Construction is going great up there,” said Kerr. “There haven’t been any major issues or problems of note working with (the city). It’s just so massive and once it is stocked everyone in Bridgeport and throughout the region will have a great place to shop.”
Right now, Menards is not only getting ready to stock the buildings but stock its workforce. They are currently hiring individuals as a sign at the main entrance to the Commons indicates.
“I would venture to say with a store that size, there is going to be a hiring of a mass quantity of people and the sign indicates there is going to be some training before the opening,” said Kerr.
Stuart said some inventory is already arriving. He said lumber has been delivered to the site to get a start on that inventory in the warehouse.
“Things will really pick up once the roadwork is done. That could be done early to mid-December, but the roadway is pretty close,” said Stuart.
The roadwork has witnessed turning lanes added, roads widened, and now work is being done on the bridge crossing Interstate 79 as well as working continuing on both I-79 off ramps onto Jerry Dove Drive.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows work being done at the entrance to Charles Pointe Crossing with the Menards sign showing you where to apply. Bottom photo is of the essentially completed structure that will house Menards.
