Business & Tech
Demolition Derby at College Avenue Safeway
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and Safeway officials spoke briefly before mechanical excavators began tearing down the old College Avenue supermarket Monday to make way for a new Safeway "lifestyle" store.
Down with the old, up with the new — work on the new "lifestyle" Safeway at 6310 College Ave. started officially Monday as demolition of the old store, dating back to 1964, began.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and Safeway officials addressed a small crowd of neighbors, local businesspeople and just plain onlookers before two excavators — looking rather like mechanical dinosaurs — took their first bites.
Demolition is expected to take about two weeks, and some beams from the old store will be preserved during the knock-down to be repurposed elsewhere.
Todd Paradis, Safeway's real estate manager, said the project is on target for completion by next summer.
And George Arias, Safeway's district manager, answered what he said is the question he's asked most about the new development — yes, there will be a Starbucks there.
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