A Spokane developer has approached the city of Spokane with preliminary plans to build a small retail center in a portion of the former Albertson's supermarket site along Northwest Boulevard, records on file with the city of Spokane show.

The predevelopment application lists Baker Construction & Development Inc., of Spokane, as the owner of the project, which would be located on a half-acre parcel at 1621 W. Northwest Boulevard, at the southeast corner of Northwest Boulevard and Ash Street.

"That's us," says Barry Baker, president of Baker Construction. The project, however, may be on hold, he says.

"We've run it through the city, but we don't have anything on contract," he says.

Bernardo Wills Architects PC, of Spokane, recently submitted the predevelopment application on behalf of Baker Construction. The application lists the estimated construction cost at $400,000 and states that construction could start this summer.

A summary of the proposed work calls for demolishing the fueling station, which includes a 1,200-square-foot convenience store structure, a 4,200-square-foot canopy, and related infrastructure, to make room to construct a new 4,000-square-foot retail center.

Plans show 16 parking spaces would be dedicated to the center. A drive-thru lane would be on the northwest side of the building, paralleling Northwest Boulevard. Access to the center would be via Ash Street and Northwest Boulevard.

The 43,300-square-foot former main Albertson's supermarket building is on an adjacent 3 acres of land, at 1617 W. Northwest Blvd.

The supermarket building has been there since 1980, and Albertson's added the fueling station in 1999. Albertson's closed the store and fueling station in August 2011 citing poor performance, and the property has been vacant since then.

Albertson's operates eight other supermarkets in the Spokane area.