DOWNEY − Vallarta Supermarkets will open a grocery store at the mostly-abandoned Beach’s Market property on the southwest corner of Imperial Highway and Paramount Boulevard. Councilman Mario Guerra made the announcement at a town hall meeting he hosted Wednesday night at the Barbara J. Riley Community and Senior Center.

Vallarta Supermarkets is a chain of Hispanic grocery stores, with 41 locations throughout California, including Burbank, Anaheim and Baldwin Park. According to its website, the market offers a full meat counter, a Mexican kitchen with dine-in options, bakery, deli, produce section, and specialty foods from Mexico and Central and South America.

Vallarta markets also sell agua frescas, atoles and champurrados.

Guerra said the Beaches Market building will be completely renovated, and Vallarta plans to add an additional 10,000 square feet of grocery space.

In other news, Guerra announced that the former Gallatin Medical Center property at Paramount Boulevard and 5th Street had been purchased by KB Homes and will likely be redeveloped into a residential tract. No details were offered.

The town hall meeting was mostly positive, with Guerra sharing news that overall crime in Downey is down 18 percent year-to-date, and the city is financially secure, thanks to a balanced budget and 40 percent of the general fund stashed in reserves.

Guerra has hosted the town hall meeting every year since taking office in 2006. This was his last, as he will be termed out of office in December.

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Published: Oct. 16, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 27