Forest Park is getting ready to turn a long-empty pharmacy into what city leaders hope will be the new heartbeat of downtown dining and small food businesses.
The city will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for The Grapevine, a planned food-business incubator and downtown gathering spot, at 11 a.m. on March 6 at the former Rite Aid at 833 Forest Parkway. The project will convert the vacant building into restaurant stalls, a coffee shop, an event stage and flexible offices geared toward helping small food businesses get off the ground. Organizers say parking for the ceremony will be available along Ash Street and at nearby Starr Park.
City officials have pitched The Grapevine as a place to “connect, create and grow,” describing it as “a vibrant hub where residents, professionals and visitors can come together,” according to News-Daily. The ceremony is expected to feature city leaders, members of the Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) and project partners, so expect plenty of shovels and photo ops.
What The Grapevine Will Offer
The Grapevine is designed as a one-stop shop for food entrepreneurs and hungry locals alike. According to Business View Magazine, the former pharmacy will be reworked to include three restaurant spaces, a commercial kitchen that can support caterers and “ghost kitchen” tenants, a drive-through coffee shop and a bakery. Flexible meeting and office areas are also part of the plan.
The idea is to turn a long-vacant storefront into a downtown destination, while giving culinary start-ups a way to test concepts and grow without taking on crushing upfront costs.
Contract And Timeline
The Urban Redevelopment Agency recommended awarding the interior buildout contract to Technique Concrete after bids were opened. Meeting records list a base award of roughly $2.88 million, according to Citizen Portal.
Board members noted that the base bid does not include long‑lead restaurant equipment. Contractors estimated about five to six months to reach substantial completion once equipment orders and any change orders are worked out, which puts the project on a fairly tight but plausible schedule.
Progress On Site
While the groundbreaking is just now hitting the calendar, crews are already busy at the building. Temporary fencing is up, and earthwork, slab grading, framing and build‑out of fire‑suppression and HVAC systems are underway, News-Daily reports.
Officials told the outlet they plan to release a more detailed construction timeline once contracts are fully finalized and equipment is ordered.
Why It Matters Locally
City leaders and county officials have framed The Grapevine as both an economic spark and a tool to tackle local food access challenges. The incubator is expected to provide commercial kitchen space and flexible retail options for start-ups, according to South7585News.
Commissioner Alieka Anderson and City Manager Ricky Clark have praised the project’s potential to energize Forest Parkway, create jobs and generate lease revenue that can help repay the public money going into the overhaul.
The public groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on March 6, and attendees are encouraged to check the city’s event notices for any last‑minute updates. If the current timeline holds, officials say The Grapevine could begin welcoming tenants later this year, turning that old drugstore into something a lot tastier.
