Kemper Development is more than just considering an upscale grocery store to fill a portion of the shuttered J.C. Penney building at Bellevue Square, according to permit documents recently published by the city.

The major downtown developer has been mum regarding rumors a Whole Foods would occupy the ground floor of the 198,000-square-foot Penney building, brought on by a Hebert Research survey of residents hinting at the possibility. Whole Foods told the Reporter the development company was only using its name to gauge interest in an upscale grocery store at Bellevue Square.

According to Bellevue’s recently released Weekly Permit Bulletin, long-time Kemper Development architecture firm Sclater Partners proposes modifying the J.C. Penney building into the South Commons Shops, and converting the ground level into a 30,500-square-foot upscale grocery store while using another existing 35,500 square feet for an additional 65 parking stalls. An escalator will remain for accessing the second level of the three-story Penney building.

“The retail grocer at the ground level will offer pedestrians and park patrons a walkable, street level accessed, option for food and shopping,” Sclater reports in its description of the project in a permit attachment.

The existing two upper levels of the building will be converted into smaller tenant spaces, according to permit documents, with a 12,152-square-foot common mall area. Work is expected to be completed by this June.