Albany to get second Walmart Neighborhood Market

ALBANY — City officials confirmed Tuesday that plans have been filed to build a second Walmart Neighborhood Market in Albany.

The popular grocery outlet, which follows the Dec. 10 opening of the first Neighborhood Market at 108 S. Westover Blvd. in northwest Albany, will be built at 20th Avenue and Slappey Boulevard.

Albany officials mentioned the planned construction of “the business that shall not be named by staff” during Tuesday’s Albany City Commission work meeting. The commission was discussing the proposed purchase of a 13.6-mile swath of land that will run from downtown Albany, alongside the proposed Neighborhood Market site, to Sasser in Terrell County. The Albany Utility Board plans to use the right-of-way on the property to expand utilities services in, potentially, Dougherty, Lee and Terrell counties. The city will build a multi-use trail on the land, which will be maintained by South Georgia Rails to Trails.

Albany-Dougherty Planning Development Services Manager Tracy Hester said Tuesday afternoon drawings for the new Neighborhood Market had been submitted to Planning and approved on Friday. However, issues with the Rails to Trails property forced developers to redesign the plan for the site.

Hester said he expects the redesign to be completed quickly and resubmitted. He said once that paperwork has been completed, the proposal will be forwarded to the Albany-Dougherty Planning Commission for approval. Ultimate approval will come from the Albany City Commission.