By Lauren Ciallella | SDUN Reporter

With the Washington St. Vons closing its doors after 49 years last April, a modern version is now being built in its place with a polished, updated model spanning over 57,000 square feet and giving true meaning to the word supermarket.

“This project has been in the works for about the past two years. It took about a year to get through the entitlement process with the community and the City of San Diego,” said Carlos Illingworth, Vons’ Manager of Public Affairs and Government Relations. “Since our approval on November 2010, we prepared for and got construction underway.”

The project has indeed been moving quickly. After the store’s demolition in April and construction starting in late June, the project’s superintendent, Dean Rodeheaver of Eleven Western Builders, was pleased to report that the project was on schedule to be completed by Spring 2012.

“I think it’s good for the neighborhood,” stated Mission Hills resident Hilary Strocco, “We’re excited because there’s nowhere really in the neighborhood to shop,” adding that she said she thinks the Albertsons across the street is small.

Strocco wasn’t the only local with an opinion. Mission Hills residents had been extremely vocal about the project before construction had even started.

“The community has had a lot of input into the project through our neighborhood meetings and throughout the entitlement phase of the project and feedback has been very positive,” Illingworth commented.

Some of that positive feedback could be due to an upgrade in options missing from the former store, including a pharmacy and floral department and an in-house Starbuck’s. It will also have expanded meat, seafood, and bakery items. Lining their shelves will be a food genre that has become essential to many shoppers.

“We believe the organic section will be very well received by the community,” Illingworth stated.

Strocco seconded Illingworth’s thought saying, “I like how they have a lot of organic options. I’m excited about the organic baby stuff.”

The new store will be built with a “pedestal” design that allows for underground parking including escalators, elevators and multiple access points for Vons and the five adjoining storefronts that are also being built (ranging in size from 1,285 -1,318 sq ft) on this lot.

Illingworth concluded, “The design works well with the grade on the site and allows us to have a well parked, full-sized store. We coordinated closely with the community during the design phase of the project, and had strong support for our proposal.”

Images of the projected design model can bee seen at: facebook.com/VonsMissionHills.