Morganton staff wait for word on Ingles contractor

Those passing by Morganton’s Ingles may spot several Hussmann trucks parked outside the store, but city staff say shoppers shouldn’t get too excited just yet.

Though the City of Morganton approved a building permit application for renovations at the grocery store in late March, officials say they are still waiting for a general contractor to pick up the permit before work can officially move forward.

Several trucks from Hussmann Corporation, a company that provides refrigeration and services to food retailers, have recently been at the store. However, without the building permit, Ingles can only maintain its existing refrigeration systems, not renovation work, according to Development and Design staff.

The last contact city staff had with the project team was in mid-April, when there were still no updates on a contractor, according to Wendy Smith, director of Development and Design Services. Now, more than a month later, staff are still waiting to hear who the contractor will be and when a representative will come to pick up the permit from the city.

Smith noted that it is not unusual for permits to sit for a period of time before being secured. As of mid-April, Ingles was still in the bidding process for a general contractor, according to Anya Szymczakiewicz of Robertson Loia Roof Architects & Engineers.

Morganton’s Ingles, located on Carbon City Road, has remained closed since Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina. The company has been working to reopen damaged locations across the region, including the Swannanoa store, which is being demolished and rebuilt.

After more than a year of waiting, the city’s development and design staff received a building permit application on March 20 from Ingles for renovations to the Morganton store. Plans include swapping the deli and produce sections to relieve lunchtime congestion in the deli area, along with renovations to the checkout area.

The plans submitted for the permit are the same plans Ingles originally submitted back in January 2025. Before crews halted construction in late February or early March of 2025, they had completed upfits to the pharmacy.