Fred Meyer Finally Comes To Ballard -- Store Opening Closes Years Of Controversy

After years of controversy and court appeals that pitted Fred Meyer against a local activist group, the retailer opened its Ballard store today at 6:45 a.m. - 15 minutes early because people were waiting outside the doors.

Fred Meyer acquired the 19.9 acres between Ballard and Fremont in 1998, six years after it began talks with the Salmon Bay Steel mill, the site's former owner. At that time, the merchandiser proposed a development that would combine retail with marine industrial use.

The city of Seattle approved a shoreline permit in 1995, but both the city and the store were thwarted by Save Our Industrial Lands. The group of Ballard and Fremont residents and merchants filed an appeal that kept the sale from closing.

The city and retailer dueled the opposition group in court for three years, with the group withdrawing an appeal in 1998, settling with Fred Meyer. The deal called for the store to withhold 38 percent of the site for marine industrial use and permitted groundbreaking.

Alaskan Outport Transportation Association, a small Seattle shipping company, took over the waterfront portion of the property, which is along the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

The new Fred Meyer outlet is "a store that is very much tailored to the Ballard and Fremont communities," said Rob Boley, Fred Meyer's assistant vice president of public relations. "It reflects both the marine and industrial character of the area."

Most of the chain's outlets resemble big boxes, but the Ballard store attempts to mix with the industrial landscape, presenting a curved and slanted roofline, 12 20-foot-high trusses and skylights. The retailer also provided an "overlook" of the canal, where passers-by can view shipping activity.

That's one thing Fred Meyer did right, said Brad Rice, secretary of Save our Industrial Lands. "They've done a decent job on the architecture and made it blend into the industrial area as well as could be," he said.

But he can't say he's glad the Portland-based retailer moved into his neighborhood. Though he acknowledged many look forward to the conveniences the store will offer, he said he's keeping an eye open for any negative impacts, such as traffic problems.

Suzie Burke, president of Fremont Dock Co., said the store will bring only good to her community. Additional traffic signals, new turn lanes, and new water and sewer mains are pluses, she said.

"Those things are all very expensive. There's good things that happen when a big old property gets retrofitted for the new millennium."

Dori Stubbs: 206-464-2792. E-mail: dstubbs@seattletimes.com