Medford, Ore –The paperwork is in, and according to city documents it’s starting to look like Costco is closer to making a move in Medford.
Not far from one of Medford’s busiest intersections, the empty lot across from Trader Joe’s could be the future home of Costco in the Rogue Valley.
Before any building begins here, the city has to take traffic impacts into consideration.
Just a few hundred yards away from the busy Northgate Shopping Center, the streets are mostly empty.
Those lots are where Medford planning records show Costco plans to build a new warehouse.
“That’s the first step in a long land use process, but it means they’re very serious at looking at the site” said Medford Councilman Daniel Bunn.
“This is part of a larger Alba Village Development that went in and the first phase was the Trader Joe’s and REI segment,” said ODOT Spokesman Gary Leaming.
When the Northgate Shopping Center was built, half a million dollars was spent to ease traffic in the area with the expectation that more land would be developed.
“That will stand until about 300-thousand square feet of development, and with the Costco coming in that will still be under that 300 thousand square feet,” said Leaming.
As Costco eyes a new home for it’s warehouse in Medford, the city is also paying attention.
“There’s a lot that we have to look at as a city what we’re specifically interested in this site, knowing that it is Costco is transportation things like that,” said Bunn.
Hoping to find the balance between good commerce and an easy commute.
Multiple calls to costco seeking comment weren’t returned and councilman Bunn says the city council has yet to go over the application.
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