A Pederson Group developers sign announcing that "Fry's is coming soon" is no longer posted at the SaddleBrooke Marketplace site.
It had languished in various locations at the corner property for years. The proposed Fry's supermarket project is directly adjacent to the SaddleBrooke main entrance gateway on North Oracle Road in Pinal County.
According to Rob Bassett, chief operating officer of the Phoenix-based Pederson Group, there is no progress to report and no final decision to move forward on the unfinished SaddleBrooke Marketplace project.
"The current construction cost environment is still presenting significant challenges for this site. Both Fry's and Pederson Group are continuing to pursue this project, however, we cannot currently provide an update on timing."
"We are still working through the cost to construct the project," he added.
Business economists estimate that 2022 will be a year of a problematic dependence on contractor availability, with labor supply scarcities, building material pricing surges and construction material shortages. The recent COVID-19 wave also negatively impacts the developer's strategy. It may be some time before Pederson, and notably, the Kroger Co., owners of Fry's, makes a final decision to proceed or not go forward on the grocery store plan at SaddleBrooke.
The Pederson Group has already invested significant revenue in underground utility infrastructure, concrete drainage, and preconstruction grading at the site. The 120,000-square-foot buildable location has sat idle for years following the initial preparation work at the retail corner of Oracle Road/Arizona 77 and SaddleBrooke Boulevard.
