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September 27. 2012 9:42PM
Meredith senior complex concerned about Rite-Aid planned move
MEREDITH — Residents of Meredith Bay Village are concerned about the potential traffic impacts from a planned relocation of a Rite-Aid store.
Meredith Bay Village, a senior condominium complex with 70 units located on Route 25 less than a mile from the busy center of town, sits directly across from the Irving/Circle K plaza and from a nearly 3-acre lot which is the planned relocation site for the Rite-Aid.
At this week’s planning board meeting, several members of Meredith Bay Village expressed worries that the entrance to the condominium complex, which is already difficult to access during busy traffic times, would become harder to enter and leave if Rite-Aid moves in across the street.
“As it is now, we only get out of our colony by the grace of someone letting us in the traffic, and even then it’s usually only for a right turn,” said Dean Gulezian, a director of the condominium association at Meredith Bay Village.
“Volume is only going to increase if you add another business there,” he said.
Rite-Aid has been seeking to relocate since December. Now located in the Meredith Bay Plaza, the store needs to find a new home because the Hannaford supermarket plans to expand, town officials said.
Plans submitted to the town call for a new 15,000-square-foot store would be built on the lot between the plaza and the Trinity Episcopal Church. The store had planned to build its own driveway, but in March state transportation officials ruled that the new store would have to share its driveway with the stores in the plaza to minimize traffic impacts.
The planning board accepted the input of Meredith Bay Village members and will consider their concerns, said Town Planner Angela LaBrecque.
Gulezian said the complex has notified that representatives of Rite-Aid want to meet with the condominium owners.
“Rite-Aid seems to be willing to work with us,” he said. “If they can answer our safety concerns, we’ll be all for this.”
The store, which is represented by Newland Development Associates, LLC of Hampton, is eager to meet with the concerned residents of the complex, said Ken Linseman, the company’s president.
Linseman said the store is still awaiting for permit approvals before finalizing its plans for the new store.
Dan Seufert may be reached at dseufert@newstote.com.
Meredith Bay Village, a senior condominium complex with 70 units located on Route 25 less than a mile from the busy center of town, sits directly across from the Irving/Circle K plaza and from a nearly 3-acre lot which is the planned relocation site for the Rite-Aid.
At this week’s planning board meeting, several members of Meredith Bay Village expressed worries that the entrance to the condominium complex, which is already difficult to access during busy traffic times, would become harder to enter and leave if Rite-Aid moves in across the street.
“As it is now, we only get out of our colony by the grace of someone letting us in the traffic, and even then it’s usually only for a right turn,” said Dean Gulezian, a director of the condominium association at Meredith Bay Village.
“Volume is only going to increase if you add another business there,” he said.
Rite-Aid has been seeking to relocate since December. Now located in the Meredith Bay Plaza, the store needs to find a new home because the Hannaford supermarket plans to expand, town officials said.
Plans submitted to the town call for a new 15,000-square-foot store would be built on the lot between the plaza and the Trinity Episcopal Church. The store had planned to build its own driveway, but in March state transportation officials ruled that the new store would have to share its driveway with the stores in the plaza to minimize traffic impacts.
The planning board accepted the input of Meredith Bay Village members and will consider their concerns, said Town Planner Angela LaBrecque.
Gulezian said the complex has notified that representatives of Rite-Aid want to meet with the condominium owners.
“Rite-Aid seems to be willing to work with us,” he said. “If they can answer our safety concerns, we’ll be all for this.”
The store, which is represented by Newland Development Associates, LLC of Hampton, is eager to meet with the concerned residents of the complex, said Ken Linseman, the company’s president.
Linseman said the store is still awaiting for permit approvals before finalizing its plans for the new store.
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Dan Seufert may be reached at dseufert@newstote.com.
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