From diner to drugstore
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For residents, last week”™s closing of a New Rochelle landmark, the Thru-way diner, is well summed up by City Manager Charles Strome III: "We would have preferred that the diner stayed, but it”™s out of our control."
The owners of the diner, which was around for more than 50 years, have leased the approximately 10,000-square-foot property to Walgreen”™s.
The company plans to open a store on the corner of Main Street and Weyman Avenue next summer ”“ right around the corner from a CVS.
“This was a business decision by the property owners to lease the property to this particular entity, which the city of New Rochelle really has nothing to do with,” said Paul Vacca, a building official for the city. “Walgreen”™s did go for site plan approval in front of the Planning Board and it was granted earlier this year.”
Council member Lou Trangucci said as the owner of a local business, Chow Down pet supplies in Mamaroneck, he understands the diner owners”™ right to sell the privately-owned property as long as it meets zoning requirements.
However, he is concerned about mitigating some of the traffic burden at the busy intersection.
“The Thru-way diner leaving and Walgreen”™s coming in will only add to the traffic in that area,” Trangucci, the council member for that district, said. “It”™s going to be adding congestion in that corner.”
Trangucci said one of his biggest traffic concerns was the fact that the diner turned over the parking lot every hour or so, whereas Walgreen”™s customers typically stay 10 or 15 minutes ”“ so the parking lot could be turned over four times in an hour.
He said a possible solution would be to reposition the traffic lights.
This will be the first Walgreen”™s in the city.
“We tend to look for areas that have an existing need for added pharmaceutical services or an anticipated need,” said Tiffani Bruce, a spokesperson for Walgreen”™s. “We do an extreme amount of research to find locations where we find a need and we find the stores will do well.”
Bruce said the anticipated 9,356-square-foot store is “a bit smaller than the prototype Walgreen”™s stores, but is a fairly good size.”
She said Walgreen”™s is increasing presence throughout New York and the northeast and people are becoming more familiar with Walgreen”™s stores. Recent Walgreen”™s sites include Route 22 in Eastchester and McLean Avenue in Yonkers.
As for the CVS around the corner on Weyman Ave., Bruce said “It”™s not unusual for us to be in close proximity to competition.”
Mike DeAngelis, director of public relations for CVS, said the drugstore chain competes with Walgreen”™s in many markets, which is typical for the industry.
“We”™re certainly aware that they”™re moving into the area,” DeAngelis said.
Bruce said the Walgreen”™s store will most likely not be open 24 hours, but there will probably be a drive-thru pharmacy.
Bruce said the developer for the project is Mark Investments Inc. of New York.
“We got their plans in and we”™re working on the plan review, or construction code review,” Vacca said. “When they respond, we can issue their building permit and they will have to file for a demolition permit to take the existing diner down.”
Vacca said the city is still waiting on Walgreen”™s demolition documentation, which includes photos of the structure or site plan, department of public works approvals for sidewalk closures, proof of availability of an adjacent water source to minimize dust during demolition, fire department approval of bulk storage of oil in site (if applicable), asbestos clearance certificate and waste manifest (if applicable), plumbing approval for sewer disconnect, utilities disconnect (Con Edison, United Water), certificate of vermin extermination and certificates of liability (workman”™s comp and disability insurance).
“Once we have those things we can issue a demolition permit for any structure,” Vacca said. “Typically, groundbreaking is about 6 months out from opening, so it will probably happen early next year.”