FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

SUPERIOR - Plans for a new Super One grocery store near East 2nd Street and 22nd Avenue remain on hold as one homeowner has refused to sell his property.

Superior City Councilor Jackie Stenberg represents the district and said 27 other homes have already accepted generous buyouts from the company, but remained unsure why one man has refused."

I don't think it's a matter of money," Stenberg said. "I think if it was he would have been well served to get this taken care of a long time ago."

The homeowner did not want to discuss the situation Tuesday.

Local business owners also remained confused and said the $10 million project could bring new life to the East End.

"It would be huge," Sara Haugen, owner of Pudge's, said.

Nearby businesses expect to see the new grocery store kick-start the area that often goes unnoticed to travelers on the nearby highway.

"It just would create the old East End which was the old main part of town here," Haugen said.

"Before there was a housing development between us and the main road," East End Hardware owner Roger Lundquist said. "It wasn't even on people's minds that there's a business district up here."

But the booming future remains uncertain.

The city has offered to help the homeowner relocate and Miner's Inc., which owns Super One, has continued to present offers.

With the dispute contunuing for more than a year, some fear the worst.

"Their only other option at some point is gonna be go find someplace else," Stenberg said. "I guarantee the next business that wants to relocate to this part is gonna think twice."

"Everybody that left their homes and sold out were part of a team that wants to make Superior better and clearly he's just holding his feet down," Haugen said.

Despite the battle, and business on the line, others remain optimistic.

"He has a right to his land and there will come a time that he'll realize that it's best for him to move on and he'll move on," Lundquist said.

A legal representative for Miner's Inc. said the company has continued talks with the homeowner's attorney and are committed to the development in the area.

If opened, the new Super One grocery store would employ about 110 workers.