The new Albertson's is being built on the southeast corner of 19th Street and Campus Avenue across the street from Target.

Albertson's officials would not comment on the impact the new store might have on the existing Albertson's in San Antonio Heights.

But a new Albertson's would give the company four stores all within a few miles of each other: Albertson's currently operates the San Antonio Heights store off of Euclid Avenue; a store in Rancho Cucamonga on the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Vineyard Avenue; and a store in Upland on the northeast corner of Foothill and Mountain Avenue.

Of the existing stores, the Albertson's in San Antonio Heights is the smallest. The San Antonio Heights store is about 38,000 square feet.

Albertson's officials could reveal few details about future plans for the new store or its existing stores, said Lilia Rodriguez, a spokeswoman.

Albertson's could also not reveal the size of the new store in Colonies Crossroads, citing the information as proprietary, Rodriguez said.

Nor could Albertson's officials comment on how the sale of the supermarket chain to Minnesota-based SUPERVALU INC. would affect new or existing stores.

The new Albertson's store is being built by the Colonies Crossroads developers, Colonies Partners LP, said Jeff Bloom, community development director.

According to Bloom, the new Albertson's store will be 52,442 square feet and is part of a 96,000-square-foot shopping center that will also include a Bank of America. The center

will also include other smaller tenants.

Grading and sewer line work has begun at the new Albertson's site.

City officials expect the new Albertson's to open by the end of this year or early next year.

Upland officials have not heard anything about whether the new Albertson's store would affect the existing San Antonio Heights store, Bloom said.

Supermarket union officials say that Albertson's officials have said they do not plan to close the San Antonio Heights Albertson's when the new Albertson's opens at Colonies Crossroads.

The union is in favor of keeping both stores open, said Connie Leyva, president of Claremont-based United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1428.

Albertson's new owner, SUPERVALU, has said it doesn't want to close any stores and wants a seamless transaction, Leyva said.

The union has to take the company at its word although it is unusual for two such stores to operate so close together, she said.

"I find it hard to believe they would operate both of them," Leyva said.