By ANDREW MARTIN
The construction work at the CVS on Main Street got off to an early start, which likely result in a completely new store by the end of this year.
The construction schedule was pushed up due to the fact that the timetables for the work were fluid, according to CVS Director of Public Relations Michael DeAngelis. “It’s difficult to pinpoint exact [starting] dates,” he explained. “In addition this is a multi-phased project.”
Currently, the work is in between the first and second phases. The CVS is currently located in its former location, next to the demolished Hope Valley House of Pizza. Next, a freestanding store will be built.
The last step is moving the store to its new location as well as demolishing what’s left of the existing building. With that part of the building gone, construction on the new store’s parking lot can begin. The lot will be in the front and side of the CVS, according to DeAngelis. Per the Richmond Planning Boards recommendation late last year, the lot will have 57 spaces.
DeAngelis explained that the store, located at 1187 Main St., will more than triple in size, from 4,000 to 13,000 sq. ft. “We’ll have a larger pharmacy and a larger selection of merchandise, drive-thru pharmacy window service and digital photo processing,” he said.
The estimated completion date is late this year or early 2009, DeAngelis said. Superintendent Dennis Emond of New England Retail Construction said the work might even be done a little sooner than that. He added that the project is moving along smoothly.
Besides knocking down the old building, the construction company is putting in an infiltration system to absorb the stormwater from the parking lot and roof. You can see the progress for yourself as Emond’s men work Monday to Friday to get the new store up and running.
Richmond Town Planner Denise Stetson said the whole process requires more consideration than one might imagine. “They are working with the fire department to make sure all the safety precautions and alarms stay in place even during the demolition,” she explained. “It’s not as easy as just knocking [the building] down and building a new store.”
CVS and the construction company are also working with building and zoning officials to determine signage, according to Stetson. “They’re on their way,” she said.
While the new location will provide consumers with a larger CVS, it also means that the former restaurants are left looking for new locations. Stetson said she has not heard anything about where Hope Valley House of Pizza plans to re-locate, if at all. The pizzeria had been there for about three years. Bali Village, which opened more than 20 years ago, is still looking for a new spot, Stetson said. The latest updated reported by the Times in January was that the Chinese food restaurant had plans to move-in at the old Bickford’s location on the opposite side of Main Street.
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