It looks like the Hill District will be 'the just right place to be' for Shop 'n Save.

Nearly eight months after Kuhn's Market dropped plans to open a Hill grocery, the Hill House Economic Development Corp. has landed another operator, and all indications point to Shop 'n Save.

Hill House and local politicians and community leaders were expected to make the announcement today at the corner of Centre Avenue and Heldman Street, the location for the decades-in-the-waiting grocery.

The store owner is expected to be Jeff Ross, who owns four Shop 'n Save stores -- two in McKeesport, one in Mount Pleasant and one in Connellsville.

During a phone interview Tuesday, his daughter, Shannon Faulhaber, confirmed that Mr. Ross would operate the store. Ms. Faulhaber, who works at one of Mr. Ross' McKeesport stores, said her father and Hill leaders had just reached an agreement.

"I know he's pretty used to working in inner-city stores. I don't know if they sought him out or he initially pursued it," she said.

However, she said she did not know whether the store would be a Shop 'n Save. Mr. Ross could not be reached for comment.

Victor Roque, president and CEO of the Hill House Economic Development Corp., said he couldn't confirm or deny Shop 'n Save would be the operator.

In its advisory, the Hill House EDC said the store would be a "full-service" grocery, the type preferred by many Hill residents over the more limited option, Save-A-Lot.

Hill leaders have been searching for a grocer since November when Kuhn's Market withdrew a proposal to build a 40,000-square-foot store with a pharmacy, bakery and cafe on the city-owned parcel at Centre and Heldman, apparently because of health issues related to its owner.

The new grocery will be aided by a $1 million grant from the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority and $1 million from the Penguins, who agreed to contribute in a community benefits agreement with Hill leaders relating to the construction of the Consol Energy Center.

The project also is expected to receive a $1 million state grant to be used for pre-development costs. The URA board is expected to vote Thursday on an agreement with the Hill House EDC and The Reinvestment Fund on use of the state money.

Rob Stephany, URA executive director, said all of the funding needed for the store's construction appeared to be in place.

"They're saying they have everything they need to close out the project," he said.

Hill leaders also had been considering a Save-A-Lot, but many residents opposed that type of limited-service store. The Save-A-Lot would have been 16,000 square feet compared with Kuhn's 40,000 and would not have included a pharmacy or cafe. The square footage of the Shop 'n Save was not available, but it is expected to be larger than the proposed Save-A-Lot.

The Hill has been without a grocery for decades, despite city and the community efforts to attract one to the area.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.