Rancho developer explores the options

In the next 30 days, Rancho Liborio developers may know in which direction they want to go in Greeley.

Anthony Trujillo, co-owner of the Colorado arm of the California-based Latino grocery chain, partially abandoned initial plans to build a new store at a site at 43rd Avenue and 10th Street after nearly a year of work to rezone the site. In July, he turned his attention to locating into the existing, yet empty, Albertson's property at 23rd Avenue and Reservoir Road.

As of now, he still has no definite answers.

The buyers of the Albertson's property should close on the sale this month, Trujillo said, then decide which direction to go. Trujillo said he submitted a letter of intent to lease the property, but so have other potential retailers.

"At the present time, we know we're going to have to compete for that if we're going to be successful," Trujillo said. "It's not just a done deal for us."

Trujillo announced intentions in June 2006 to open the Latino-themed market in the west Greeley site, but faced opposition from the surrounding neighborhood. The subsequent hearings on rezoning with the city ended up costing Trujillo $200,000.

"My partners in California, after all of the comments ... asked if we would even be welcome in Greeley," Trujillo said.

Still, even after buying the property, the costs of construction on the 10th Street site became too prohibitive. He said while the property is still for sale, he has not yet ruled out the possibility of developing it into some 'quick-service' retail, such as the property across the street that contains Noodles and Starbucks.

Trujillo said he is still excited about Greeley, and feels the Rancho Liborio concept would be a good fit for the community.

He said if the Albertson's site doesn't work out, he still has other options.

"We have two other possibilities in Greeley now that are being handled by a real estate developer," Trujillo said, discussing some site in downtown or east Greeley. "So, we're not counting out Greeley. It's just that the numbers have to work to be profitable."

Trujillo continues to work on opening its other stores, the latest in Westminster. He said he is set to break ground on a new store in Thornton next month. Any Greeley store, he said, would be planned for 2008.