Excavation has begun at the Bend River Promenade for what’s expected to be the construction of a 69,362-square-foot building housing a Kohl’s department store.

Kohl’s would not confirm it is coming to Bend, but company spokeswoman Nzingha Thompson said Tuesday that “it’s possible in the near future.” Shopping center owner Rich Costanzo also was unable to confirm if the future tenant is Kohl’s, citing a confidentiality agreement.

The proposed building is labeled the “Kohl’s Department Store” in architectural drawings filed with the city of Bend. Another city document gives the project’s description as Kohl’s.

According to the city’s records, the building will be one story and close to 30 feet tall. Four previously approved pads measuring a total of 40,000 square feet were consolidated into one site for the future building and an additional 19,362 square feet of land was added for the building, according to planning documents.

The building will be located behind the existing mall and roughly equidistant between Sears and Macy’s. Some parking is still available behind the mall while construction is under way.

In addition to Macy’s and Sears, the Bend River Promenade is home to TJ Maxx, Office Depot and various smaller businesses. The shopping center, formerly known as the Bend River Mall, underwent an extensive remodel in 2006 that included new facades and the cutting of a road through the mall’s center in order to provide better access to the portion of the mall abutting the Bend Parkway.

Kohl’s has 930 locations throughout the U.S,, according to its Web site. The Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based department store chain carries men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, furniture, electronics, and bath and kitchen items.

Another department store, Gottschalks, is under construction on the corner of Third Street and Badger Road in southeast Bend. The planned Pioneer Crossing mall, located on the site of the old Jake’s Truck Stop, will feature a 55,000-square-foot building for the Fresno, Calif.-based Gottschalks as well as two smaller buildings for name-brand fashion retailers and a nationally known family restaurant chain, according to previous reports in The Bulletin.