Whole Foods Breaks Ground
NEIRAD enilno edition
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The run-down Howard Johnson’s is a noticeable eyesore on the corner of Ledge Road and the Post Road. But that is all set to change soon, with the construction of a Whole Foods Market. Demolition of the old restaurant and hotel has begun, a year after the store gained its approval to build a new market on this site.
Demolition is expected to be finished soon, with Whole Foods ready to begin construction early next year. This popular organic grocery store will be open to customers in early 2010, hopefully bringing new life to downtown Darien
“By the end of the week, everything will be all gone if it goes according to plan,” Bryan Shaughnessy, a partner of Darien Hospitality said.
The Howard Johnson’s restaurant has been closed for many years, but only until September 12th of this year did the hotel go too. After that, on September 30th, the town turned the property over from Darien Hospitality who was leasing it, to Whole Foods, who now “patrols” it, as Mr. Shaughnessy calls it.
The demolition of Howard Johnson’s and the approval to replace it with Whole Foods has been delayed for three years. The process in the interim has been arduous and it has taken excessive effort by numerous people for the store to get construction approval.
“The whole process just takes time,” Jeremy Ginsburg, the Planning and Zoning director said.
Whole Foods first submitted its application for a new store to the town in 2005. After the application was denied one year later, Whole Foods applied a second time. It took another year for this application to be assessed by the state, whereupon it was approved in October 2007. The state took so long to make a decision because there were many issues which caused conflict. (Read more in the March 2007 issue of Neirad.)
Zoning was a very difficult issue to get past, since at first the state decided the store did not fulfill the business regulations. After a proposal to allow the use of property for retail use was accepted, the zoning problem was resolved. Traffic was also a major issue, since the current property was believed to be relatively small for such a popular and expectedly large store. However, proposals to change the structure of the roads around the area resolved this conflict.
“With the improvements in Ledge Road and the exit and on ramps onto the highway, the traffic flow will be better once it opens than what it is today, even with the increased traffic,” said Shaughnessy.
It has taken a year, however for Whole Foods to begin demolition and construction.
“The reason the process took so long was because of the appeals of the ‘Commons’ neighbors,” Mr. Shaughnessy said.
The neighbors had appealed to the state because they were worried about the congestion the new store might bring. But, with the new proposed traffic plans, the neighbors accepted the application, and Whole Foods was ready to begin demolition.
After such a long and difficult process to allow Whole Foods to build its new store, it ought to be a great success. Many people believe it will be right from the start.
“I think it is a fit for the town of Darien,” Mr. Shaughnessy said about the future of the store. “I think the merchants downtown will be pleased.”
Jeremy Ginsburg also believes the organic grocery store will be success because “it has a great location, right off the highway and it has a large following.”
As for the damage Whole Foods will do toward the sales of the other grocery stores in town, it should not be disastrous because this market is different. It supplies a different line of organic food to its customers.
Who knows, we might all become a little healthier in a few years if people literally buy in to this franchise.
