Hannaford’s proposed Buxton shopping center could trigger increased business development in town and nearby business owners are hoping the development helps their business.
Buxton planners and townspeople heard Hannaford’s plans on Monday for a shopping center that includes a $5 million grocery store at the intersection of Portland Road and Route 202 in Buxton. Store construction is estimated to cost $3.5 million with site work pegged at an additional $1.5 to $2 million.
Dennis Santolucito, a Planning Board member, said the Hannaford project would “set the stage” for more development along Route 202 in Buxton. “This is going to be a regional shopping center,” Santolucito said.
Local businessmen Shawn Gammon and Joe Iaconeta, partners in Gammon’s Auto Repair and Ike’s Auto Sales on Route 202, believe the shopping center would bolster their business, which abuts the Hannaford lot. “It would quadruple it,” Iaconeta said.
The Hannaford proposal has enthused Gammon and Iaconeta who would like to expand from their present two-bay garage, which they have outgrown now. “We want a whole new building,” Gammon said.
Mary Gamage, real estate development manager for Hannaford, introduced the proposal. “We’re excited to come to Buxton,” she said.
Because it was only an initial presentation, the Planning Board did not take any comments from the public. After the meeting, several of the 25 people who attended crowded around a sketch for a closer look at the proposal. They also had a chance to talk with Gamage and Doug Boyce, a Hannaford engineer.
Eyeing the Hannaford sketch plan, Gammon liked what he saw. “It’s a good looking design,” he said. “Buxton needs more businesses.”
Frank Pulsoni of Pennell Road also said the town needed an increase in businesses. He favored the Hannaford project and said it’s a good plan, but he had a question about jobs.
The grocery store proposal would add jobs in town and Hannaford said in a statement in January that their store would employ 100 workers. “I want to know how many jobs will go to local people,” Pulsoni said.
Homeowners see the Hannaford plan as broadening the Buxton tax base. Harlan Dearborn of Route 202 eyed the sketch with interest because his son owns property on Pennell Road, which borders the Hannaford 13-acre site. “They’ll help pay taxes,” he said.
Santolucito had concerns about what other businesses would be added to the shopping center. “How does it play out,” he asked.
Gamage cited a need for neighborhood shops and said the shopping center could include office space. She said a bank would be an obvious companion. “We wouldn’t be comfortable with a fast-food theme park,” Gamage said.
She said the shopping center would be “challenged” by septic capabilities, as Hannaford’s needs would be extensive. They are proposing the septic system for the opposite side of Route 202 from the project, which would be on bedrock.
Keith Emery, Planning Board chairman, asked if installing a sewer line on the opposite side of Route 202 would require excavating. But Gamage said the sewer line could be bored under the highway.
The Buxton Hannaford would be a 36,000-square-foot store, smaller than the ones in Gorham and Waterboro. But Gamage said the Buxton store would be a “full service grocery store,” but it would have smaller size departments. It would have parking for 190 cars.
The shopping center would have entrances and exits on both Route 202 and Portland Road. However, cars would be prohibited from making left turns when exiting the shopping center onto Route 202.
Hannaford will present a traffic study at its next meeting with the Planning Board. Gamage said a portion of Portland Road would be widened near the shopping center entrance and the intersection at Portland Road and Route 202 would be reconfigured. Road changes require approval by the Maine Department of Transportation.
(Buxton Hannaford 1 or 2) – Mary Gamage of Hannaford introduces the company’s plans for a shopping center in Buxton.Send questions/comments to the editors.
