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Construction for the $2 million, 14,550 square-foot building, located at 1130 Boston Post Road, is slated to begin this summer. Completion is scheduled for fall 2004.
The plan also calls for new sidewalks on River Street and Boston Post Road, a fence that will separate the pharmacy from the Berkshire Fuel station on the corner and a parking lot that can accommodate 59 mid-size vehicles.
Although Walgreens would usually construct its trademark building composed entirely of red brick, signature structures are not permitted in Guilford, so architects instead created a composition designed specifically for the town.
"We came up with a unique design for Guilford," said Project Architect John Matthews, who was contracted by The Richmond Group, Inc. "This Walgreens will have a gable roof along the outside, concrete-wood fiber sidings [hardyplank], and a limestone or light-colored brick where there is masonry."
A traffic study was conducted, and representatives from The Richmond Group met with state Department of Transportation officials and Guilford's police chief to discuss possible traffic problems.
They determined that any traffic issues could be resolved by adding a pass-by lane on the right side of Route 1, and by moving the concrete median farther to left to allow room for the pass-by lane.
On the L shaped property will be two entrances and two exits, located on Boston Post Road and River Street. An additional exit will be located on Boston Post Road for vehicles utilizing the drive-through window, which will be limited to customers picking up prescriptions from the pharmacy.
An environmental study of the site uncovered five underground tanks containing solvent-based contaminants, but associates from The Richmond Group present at last Wednesday's meeting said the contaminants were "very isolated and can be easily removed."
"We've hired a very reputable environmental consultant who identified the issues and determined that they can be easily dealt with," said The Richmond Group's Project Manager John Stewart.
Two years ago, The Richmond Group introduced the plan for a Walgreen's Pharmacy to the town's advisory Design and Review Committee. The proposal that passed Wednesday night represented a third exterior design.
"As an applicant, you have outdone yourself to come up with a structure that satisfies the commission and conforms to the community," said Planning and Zoning Chairman James Barry, Jr.
