Developers urged to work on CVS site in Walpole

Developers met for the first time with the Planning Board last night do discuss a project to expand the CVS pharmacy on Main Street - a project builders and town officials hope will serve as catalyst in sprucing up the Main Street shopping center.

Planners and developers did not see eye to eye initially, however, when board members suggested CVS make forthcoming improvements to the plaza at routes 1A and 27 to pave the way for future tenants.

Developers are looking to spend upward of $1 million to expand into the former Blockbuster space next to the CVS in the same building.

The 70-year-old building, originally constructed as an A&P supermarket, would feature a drive-through prescription window and would be aesthetically in tune with larger CVS stores in the area, according to attorney Phil Macchi.

Colonial-style windows, brick walls, landscaping and stormwater systems would be added as well, he said, while interior modification would be minimal.

"Aesthetically the building is 100 percent better than what exists," Macchi told the board. "We're certainly giving some benefit."

Macchi said the new CVS building would be an oasis to the eyes in a corner plaza that features several vacant stores - including the decade-long abandoned Kahana restaurant building.

"I submit to you the building is in character, in fact, it's upscale to where it is," said Macchi.

Traffic Engineer Jason Plourde said CVS would pave the parking lot and repaint parking space stripes as a way to increase car and pedestrian safety in a lot where a fair amount of cut-throughs occur.

Rather than sprucing up the existing parking lot, Planning Board Vice Chairman Ed Forsberg asked the development team to look into redoing the lot layout as a whole, calling the space "a mess."

CVS, which leases space from the Goldman family that owns the plaza, said Macchi does not have the authority to make such improvements.

Macchi suggested modifications to the parking lot would occur after more tenants moved into the plaza.

He said he and some town officials met with the owner a few weeks ago, and he is open to bringing stores into the plaza.

"Hopefully that will come to fruition with (the CVS) being the cornerstone," Macchi said.

Forsberg said it is better to fix some of the problems of the parking lot now rather than later, while Macchi argued the owners have no reason to restructure the parking lot without more tenants.

"The owners are not looking for their stores to remain vacant, but there's no real draw," Macchi said. He said he believes CVS could be that draw and the parking situation could be reexamined from there.

"This is the cornerstone, this is the first step," Macchi said of the CVS expansion.

If the board didn't green-light the project the area would remain the same, he said, but if they would be taking steps in improving the area.

"How do you know what's going to be there later? You don't, do you?" board Chairman Jack Conroy asked, citing traffic "flow" as a major problem. "You're telling us 'trust us, this is how it's going to start."'

Planning Board members Betty Nashawaty and Rich Mazzocca added it would likely be in the best interest of the owner to improve the area, including the parking lot, to attract tenants.

"This would be a focal point to the town," Macchi said. "CVS can only do what they can do."

Nashawaty said that although CVS may not directly have the authority to make substantial improvements to the lot, it is in the board's authority to require such improvements for the expansion to go through.

If that were to occur, the owner of the plaza could deny authority and the proposal could fall through, or CVS could back out of the project.

"If they say 'no,' respectfully, I think the town loses," Macchi said.

Ultimately, developers agreed to meet with the owner and hoped to return for their scheduled Aug. 6 meeting with parking lot alternatives.

Nashawaty urged engineers to design the lot as if there was no parking there at all.