By ISABEL ESTERMAN
SEPT. 23 — The Safeway Supermarket at College Avenue and Claremont is 44 years old and looking it. Every chip, stain and scuffmark in the speckled-grey linoleum floor stands out in the fluorescent light, and the aisles are so narrow it’s a struggle for two shopping carts to pass each other.
Shoppers, neighbors and Safeway management all seem to agree the store is ready for an update. But exactly how the update should take shape has been the subject of intense controversy. In June, Safeway released a building plan that called for a complete rebuilding of the store, more than doubling its floor space to 59,000 square feet. The proposal was met with a wave of protest from community members who objected that the expansion would threaten local businesses, intensify traffic problems on College Avenue, and damage the urban, pedestrian-friendly feel of the block.
