Pharmacy May be Coming to Property on Corner of Route 44, Lawton Road

Konover Development Corp. now hopes to make a pharmacy the cornerstone of its planned development at the corner of Route 44 and Lawton Road.

Stanley C. Glantz, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company, informally presented the idea to members of the Economic Development Agency.  A formal application to town commissions is expected in January.

Konover obtained approval a few years back for a Home Goods store and some surrounding retail and office space.

Due to the economy and other factors, the plan never materialized.

Konover now hopes to modify the plan, add an entrance from Lawton Road and shift the building configuration a little from the approved plan.

The property is in a special ATG-2 Zone, which allows 56,000 square feet of building footprint and 64,000 square feet of "gross floor coverage," Glantz said.

The company hopes to build three areas on the property, whereas its Home Goods plan called for two, one up to 62,000 square feet and one at the corner of the property a $2,500 to 7,000 square feet.

Now the company would like the pharmacy, which it did not name, of up to 16,000 square feet to be in the front of the property. It also plans to build a rear building with some 46,000 square feet of space and develop roughly develop 2,500 to 7,000 square feet of space on the corner near Lawton Road. Most of the space would likely be retail and some may involve a second floor to comply with maximum building footprint requirements. 

"We're not asking for a square-footage increase, just a reallocation," Glantz said.

Glantz said the project, planned in two phases, requires a huge investment for the company, including some $5.3 million of off-site work, such as utility extensions, in the first phase alone.

Another change Konover plans to seek is the driveway on Lawton Road.

 The previous plan included  only emergency access from Lawton.

Glantz said the entrance would improve traffic because fewer people would cross Route 44 coming to and going from the developments.

"What we've found is its actual an improvement in traffic circulation," he  said. 

Glantz said the company plans to keep the village feel to the development, especially on the corner of Lawton and Route 44, an aspect that was part of the much maligned, circa 2002 plan for a Target.

Since then Konover opted not to buy some of the 16 acres it had options for. The Church of Latter Day Saints occupied some of the land intended for the "big box" and another owner bought some adjacent land. Konover is now looking at some seven acres to work with, rather than 16. And Glantz said the village feel remains.

"We felt with a village setting it was now appropriate talk about this [Lawton Road access]," he said.

Lawton Road resident David Gilchrist was the only member of the public at the meeting. He later said he understands the corner will be developed but does not think Lawton and Washburn roads can handle the number of motorists who will use them as shortcuts or to avoid Route 44.

"I don't think either one of those road are suitable to handle the traffic," said Gilchrist, who added that his opinion was given as a private citizen and not in his capacity as a selectman.

The plan would also retain the traffic light between the one at the Shoppes and the corner of Lawton Road and Route 44.

The driveway would also serve a neighboring parcel that may be developed.

Glantz said the plan would bring significantly improve the town's tax base.  The pharmacy, assessed at roughly $2 to 2.5 million, would bring in $61,000 to $76,000 per year, he said.

Some agency members thought those numbers were overestimated and one raised some concern about the light on Route 44, which has already been approved by the state. Members, however, generally supported the plan as good for the town's tax base.

Konover said before filing in January, it will reach out to the community.

Tom Sevigny, president of Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion,  said the group plans to meet with the company Jan. 3.

Editor's Note: This story will be updated with more details.