A local grocery store is set to buy a shopping plaza in Pittsburgh’s Hill District from the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The URA board on Thursday approved plans to sell the plaza on Centre Avenue that previously housed a Shop ‘n Save to Salem’s Market and Grill, which is expected to open a grocery store there by late fall.

The authority is selling the site for $1.9 million. The URA purchased the complex after the Shop ‘n Save closed in 2019, leaving many in the Hill District without easy access to fresh groceries.

The URA accepted applications to fill the vacant Shop ‘n Save storefront and ultimately selected Salem’s. They executed a lease with the grocer last January.

The locally owned, family-run grocery store had previously planned to open the store last August, but pushed back the opening date due to supply chain shortages and delays.

The URA and Salem’s have been “working together to open up this grocery store” since the lease was arranged, said Bailey Knapp, a project manager with the authority.

Selling the plaza to Salem’s aims to help the business “have more control over their operating costs,” he said.

Current lease terms with other tenants in the plaza will be honored, Knapp said, and the grocer is still moving ahead with its plans to open a 30,000-square-foot store that will sell groceries, baked goods, meats, prepared foods and other items.

Salem’s also has made a commitment to local hiring initiatives, and plans to have half of its workforce comprised of Hill District residents, Knapp said.

“This is an important milestone in our journey, and I have the deepest gratitude to everyone at the URA,” said Abdullah Salem, the store’s president and owner. “At the heart of our efforts are the people of the Hill District. We are honored by the opportunity to serve this vibrant community and provide them with the high-quality amenities and services they truly deserve.”

There are covenants in place that ensure that if Salem’s would decide to sell the plaza, the URA would have the first opportunity to buy back the property so it could bring in another grocery store to serve the neighborhood, said R. Daniel Lavelle, who serves on the URA board and represents the Hill District on City Council.

“This is critical to the Hill District because you’re coming into a food desert, but at the same time, this is a critical store to the entire city,” Lavelle said.

The URA board unanimously voted to approve the sale Thursday.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)