The Peaceful Valley garden store was closed Monday, its usual day off, when this photo was taken on July 1.
Peaceful Valley, a garden and farm supply store at 350 Hickory Street in North Albany, is closing, and the future use of this longstanding commercial property is unknown.
On social media there’s been chatter about the site for some time. I stopped there Monday and Tuesday, and an employee told me that the store is indeed closing. Its last day of operation will be a week from Saturday.
Peaceful Valley is an online farm supply and garden business based in Grass Valley, Calif. The Albany site is its only other physical store.
My understanding from the employee is that the company’s lease on the Albany property is up at the end of the month, and the property’s owners want to sell the land, possibly for apartments.
The property is owned by a couple of limited liability companies in the real estate rental business, and I have not reached them to ask about their plans.
The building was a grocery store (Carter’s Market) in the 1970s. In recent years it has housed a succession of plant and garden centers.
The 3-acre property has a real market value of about $4 million, according to the Benton County assessor.
The zoning is community commercial. In order to redevelop the site for apartments, the owners would need to seek a zone change.
Albany planning manager David Martineau says the city has not been approached about any change in zoning or redevelopment of the property. (hh)
4 million dollar property has to produce around 25 thousand dollars a month in rents. Doesn’t seem viable with a garden center at that location.
What a joke, once again! Slowly, any of the trees areas that help cool our planet and takes away the sting of asphalt and concrete is being eaten away by yet more condos and /or multiple dwellings. Clearly, the owners of said property does not even come close to experiencing what highway 20 and Springhill road equates to on a daily basis. Converge all that traffic trying to get over our one and only bridge spells major disaster just waiting to happen. I would suggest that our planning board and the powers that be live for at least a month to have the thrill all of experience that mess you have created.
You might consider attending the meeting with Senator Gelser Blouin, on Wednesday July 10th at 3 pm in the main library. The purpose of this meeting is to give her feedback on the middle housing law that she helped pass. The meeting was arranged by Councilor Novak.
Senator Sara — ran on one issue only and knows nothing about anything of application in the real world.
Neither does Novak.
We know the drill – Except maybe someone with some compassion will step up and create low income apartments 2 story at best. Hmmm.
Plenty of vacant land on the Eastside of the river to build low income apartments. North Albany is already at its maximum for housing sustainability without more infrastructure in place before new construction should even be a thought.
Very true! I agree!
Hear, hear to that! I 2nd that!! GREED!!
Pat is correct! One bridge cannot support the continuation of new apartments, subdivisions and houses. I would much rather have a nice garden center in North Albany than more Apartments and more traffic. Too bad the people of North Albany couldn’t have supported this business better.
It has nothing to do with the viability of the business. The owners of the property are kicking them out so they can sell it off for a pile of cash.
Good, old fashion, American capitalism, man!!
How about a 20 year moratorium on new construction to allow for infrastructure upgrades and improvements to support it?
Go read the state laws on development and zoning.
You don’t get it. The City doesn’t decide who/what they want. The private sector does, based on Zoning.
Sheeesh!
Sounds like a good idea!
I recall a few times in the early 60’s, before the dams were in place on the North and South Santiam Rivers and the Willamette, when that building could not be reached because of flooding.
I have wondered what would happen if those dams were removed, as some want to do with all dams. The old channels have been filled in and there is only one thing the Willamette can do and that is flood.
During one of those floods the only place people who lived in N. Albany could get food was to take a circuitous drive to Lewisburg and then to Corvallis.
Progress isn’t always the best .
Ehe. I needed help with a problem they told me the product they sold me would kill the growth of the weed but 2 years later I’m still fighting the problem in my front yard. So i haven’t recommended the store to ant one. So goodbye farm and garden store
I think “WE ALL” lost the script over the past few years.
Searching this site for past posts.
My recall makes me believe this was a very small but young “Mom & Pop” shop.
Remembering they were struggling to name it after you know who went fishing!
Just what the Hwy. 20 / Springhill / Hickory / No. Albany Rd., needs … more traffic and congestion. And, high rent! Good grief!
I don’t recall that site as a grocery store, it was probably before I lived in Albany. I just remember it as Tom’s Garden Center
Hello Patricia! Yes it was Carter’s, Woody’s and Thriftway until it sold to Tom’s. Another one before Carter’s.
My husband worked at Woody’s in high school.
Regarding this commercial space, it needs to stay as commercial!
Hi Sharon. Thank you for the history of that site. Interesting.
Foodtown opened it as their second store, either late 50s or early 60s.
It sure would make a great indoor space for kids to play in the rainy months. Batting cages, roller rink, turf indoor practice fields, rock climbing wall, you name it. It’s basically a warehouse surrounded by many homes with kids. North Albany currently has nothing like this.
Yes, even if building something like this close to the North Albany Middle school would be more optimal (reusability). As North Albany grows and there will be more young families it would indeed be time for the city to step up and provide more activity-related places in North Albany.