APD worked with the ALDI Moreno Valley Division to design and permit over 50 stores to aid their entry into the Southern California grocery market. One of the first stores was built in Yucaipa, referred to as the Inland Empire and located just east of San Bernardino.

The final design of the Yucaipa store was a successful collaboration between ALDI, the site developer, and their Architect. The ALDI building was required to align with the existing and proposed architectural vernacular present in this high visibility retail and municipal corridor on Yucaipa Boulevard. Recent development adjacent to the site included the Yucaipa Police Station and City Hall. Newly proposed was a large Starbucks retail building within the same development as the ALDI store.

APD was tasked with significantly modifying the ALDI prototypical elevations to align with the architectural vocabulary. The finishes, detailing and overall look and feel were scrutinized by the City and Developer to ensure the ALDI store design fit in with the architectural context. The final design resulted in a cohesive, consistent look for this area of Yucaipa Boulevard.

ALDI is a fairly simple operation with very forward thinking engineering systems. In addition to the photovoltaic array on the roof, this store featured one of the first CO2 refrigeration systems installed in an ALDI store. CO2 is a more environmentally friendly refrigerant than industry standard refrigerants. ALDI’s HVAC systems incorporate advanced dehumidification and all systems are monitored and controlled by a building energy management system.

This building soon became a welcome addition to the city and a successful endeavor for ALDI.