The Kohl’s department store in Biddeford will close in February and be torn down, and a new, smaller store will be built in its place, a city official said Thursday.

The 88,000-square-foot store at the Biddeford Gateway Center on Alfred Street will be closed in late February, said Roby Fecteau, director of the Code Enforcement Department.

In 2006-07, the building had settling problems, Fecteau said. One corner of the building sank a couple of inches, drawing scrutiny from engineers.

The building was deemed safe, and the settling has stopped since about 2007, he said, but Kohl’s decided to demolish the store.

“There were four engineers who reviewed this property and none of them said this building is going to collapse,” Fecteau said. “It was more of an inconvenience.”

Doors would not close properly, and ceiling tiles in the store loosened, he said.

“The city did not force this to happen. There was no public safety issue,” Fecteau said.

The new store will be 66,000 square feet, and is expected to open in the fall, in time for the Christmas shopping season.

Matt Byrne can be contacted at 791-6303 or at:

mbyrne@pressherald.com