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A retail vacancy in Somerville’s Union Square would be filled by landlord Target Corp. under expansion plans to add groceries to its 94,000 square-foot store for the first time.

The Minneapolis-based discounter is seeking to expand by 40,000 square feet at the 180 Somerville Ave. property.

The vacant space is currently leased to Advanced Auto, according to application materials submitted to the Somerville Planning Board. Target agreed not to sell groceries when it purchased the property, according to the application, but the restriction has expired. 

The 7-acre property includes a 126,747 square-foot retail building completed in 1970 and acquired by Target Corp. in 2007 for $10 million.

Along with adding groceries, the expansion would enable Target to eliminate off-site storage and reduce truck deliveries to the property by increasing back of the house space, according to application materials.

The project requires approval of a special permit.

Somerville officials have sought to address long-time commercial vacancies in recent years, but a 2025 report found that the city’s existing ordinance has been ineffective. 

A 2019 ordinance established a vacant property database requiring landlords to pay a $50 annual fee, but only seven property owners submitted the necessary registration with the city in the ensuing six years. The ordinance also requires disclosure of future plans for a vacant property.

The city plans to schedule a meeting to notify commercial landlords of a new focus on enforcing the ordinance, Somerville Mayor Jake Wilson said last week.

Tom Gallagani, executive director of Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, said “the intent is not to be punitive, but to nurture the relationship with the property owners. Then we know who folks are, and we can very easily have those conversions and play matchmaker.”