Costco receives final approval to build in Midland

Costco submitted design renderings to the city for its proposed site in Midland, to be located at 4816 Bay City Road. (Photo provided) Costco submitted design renderings to the city for its proposed site in Midland, to be located at 4816 Bay City Road. (Photo provided) Photo: Photo Provided Photo: Photo Provided Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Costco receives final approval to build in Midland 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

After months of keeping Midland residents on the edge of their seats, Costco Wholesale Corp. received final approval from the city to build a new 157,000-square-foot store in Midland.

Midland City Council approved the big-box retailer’s site plans Monday night as part of the consent agenda, meaning there was no discussion on the topic — rather it was enacted in a routine motion along with other items. This was the final step in the city’s site plan review process.

Costco Wholesale Corp. is a membership-based chain retailer, commonly referred to as a “warehouse club” or a “wholesale club,” offering shoppers discounted prices and bulk quantities.

The site plan that was approved is for a 157,682-square-foot Costco store with an attached tire facility and an eight-pump fuel station, to be located at 4816 Bay City Road. It will be located across from the future site of Savant Labs and kitty-corner to Valley Plaza.

Before the site plan was presented to council, it was approved by the Midland Planning Commission and a sign variance for the store was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Over the last couple months during this process, support for Costco in Midland was heavily voiced. Ahead of last night’s council meeting, the city had received hundreds of comments in support, including one from Midland Business Alliance President and CEO Tony Stamas.

For many residents, this will mean no longer traveling to Lansing or Auburn Hills to shop at Costco. With that, Midland will be a new destination for out-of-town Costco shoppers, as it would be the only one located in mid-Michigan. North of Midland, the closest store would be in Traverse City.

However, Costco’s timeline for building is still unknown. It is the company’s policy not to comment on future developments, until they're ready to share details, typically just months before the store is set to open.