Kmart is Being Demolished-This is What Battle Creek Wants Instead

Facebook experts say the former Kmart on Capital Ave. should be reopened as a roller rink, restaurant or grocery store instead of being knocked down. They really want a roller rink.

City leaders at Battle Creek Unlimited are continuing their blight reduction plan with an announcement that they will raze the former Kmart building near the city's downtown. Battle Creek citizens have other ideas, and weren't shy about sharing them on Facebook.

Battle Creek Enquirer shared the story of the ownership change and demolition plans on their Facebook page and armchair developers were quick with new ideas. Here's what people are saying needs to go there:

A roller rink

• Please build something for people to do! Roller skating, trampoline park, arcade, Craig’s Cruisers type facility
• A roller skating rink would be wonderful
• Roller rink would be awesome!!
• The kids need stuff to do!!!
• This town needs a roller rink
• Pretty please with a bowl of cereal on top

Grocery store

• How about a grocery store. Not a meijer. Not a walmart. Just. A. Grocery. Store.
• A real grocery store that the low income family could afford
• an Affordable grocery store
• Now Horrocks could build a big beautiful new building with a great beer garden!

Restaurants

• Would be nice to put some restaurants (not fast food) that could bring people to town. Or give the rest of us an option where to eat
• Olive Garden!

Greenspace

• Tear it down and plants some grass and trees.
• A park for the kid's and maybe a rec center for after school programs...
• Greenspace will be very nice!
• Let’s bring trees and greenspace back to the rivers edge

Thinking outside the box

• Indoor gocarts
• We need a indoor turf field facility for Soccer, Lacrosse, football etc.
• Fix the roof and it would make a great homeless shelter.

Battle Creek Unlimited told the Enquirer that redevelopment is less costly than remodeling and “look to see some activity going on there in the very near future.