Remodels are currently under way at two Albertsons Inc. grocery stores here—one on the South Hill and one in Spokane Valley.

The 56,000-square-foot store that's being remodeled in Spokane Valley, at 13606 E. 32nd, will have a Starbucks Corp. coffee bar when the work there is done, says Lilia Rodriguez, a Fullerton, Calif.-based spokeswoman for both Albertsons and SuperValu Inc., of Eden Prairie, Minn., which bought Albertons in 2006. The store has 95 employees, she says.

Spokane County building permit documents put the remodeling amount at $2.7 million. Rodriguez says work already has started and is expected to be completed by the end of July.

She says the front lobby area will be expanded, a new organics section will be added, and the produce section will have more variety and new lighting. The meat department will be expanded, along with the floral department and deli section.

Northview Construction Inc., of Boise, is the general contractor on the project. CTA Inc., of Boise, did the remodel construction drawings.

Work on the 60,000-square-foot South Hill store that's being remodeled, at 3010 E. 57th, will cost $1.3 million, county building permit documents say. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of July, Rodriguez says.

The produce department, service deli, and fresh meat department will be expanded. The store's coffee bar will be removed. Rodriguez says new merchandising tables will be put in place. The store will also get new dcor. The store has 130 employees, she says.

The general contractor for the remodel is Engineered Structures Inc., of Boise. CLC Associates Inc., of Spokane, did the remodel drawings, says John Shaw, senior project manager for CLC Associates.