Marden’s to board: Hurry up
By David Harry
Staff Writer
The general manager of a chain store seeking to move into the former Scarborough Wal-Mart emphasized he would like the store to be open next month.
Paul LePage, the general manager of Waterville-based Marden’s said Tuesday he hopes the Planning Board will approve the site plan to be presented later this month.
As LePage said the store needs to be open in October to prepare for the Christmas shopping season, members of the Planning Board said they would like work with the company to approve the site plan.
“We all want to see it happen,” board chairman Allen Paul said as he and the board asked Nancy St. Claire, a senior project manager with project developer Sebago Technics of Westbrook, for detailed plans on store changes Monday.
Sebago Technics is overseeing the creation of the site plan for Marden’s to move into the 100,000 square foot store vacated by Wal-Mart last spring.
St. Clair said the delay in approval will not prevent the Waterville-based company from opening in October, so long as plans to renovate the exterior and possibly improve access from Payne Road and Gallery Boulevard could be implemented in phases while the store is open.
It is a situation board members and St. Clair noted as unusual because planning board approval is not ordinarily needed to occupy a building to be used in the same manner as it had been.
Board member Susan Auglis explained the site Marden’s would like to occupy, was included in the overall site plan for Scarborough Gallery passed by the board in 2005 because of changes to the whole area and building Gallery Boulevard.
Scarborough Gallery is now home to a Super Wal-Mart and a Lowe’s home improvement center. The need to approach the board bothered member Ron Mazer, he said.
“It seems like we are punishing the applicant or future applicants,” Mazer said.
Auglis said the board was split in 2005 when it created conditions for future development of the store.
While some board members favored requiring Scarborough Gallery developers KGI Properties to implement the conditions Marden’s now faces, it was not certain the former Wal-Mart would be reused as a one-store retail area.
Requiring the changes and having the building potentially razed did not seem fair either, Auglis said.
LePage said there will be little change to the interior of the store because using existing spaces is part of the Marden’s business plan.
The company plans to buy the building and has already bought the shelving for inventory, LePage said.
“All we need is a little maintenance, clean the floors and back up the trucks,” he said.
LePage said it was the first time his company has needed Planning Board approval to move into an existing site. If the October timeline cannot be reached, the company will expand elsewhere, LePage said.
“We need to get the fourth quarter on the books,” LePage said, although he declined to name the other site in the running for a store.
LePage said he anticipates about 130 jobs to be created when the store opens, and only the manager and assistant manager will be assigned from other stores.
St. Clair asked to postpone building a 140-foot right turn lane into the parking lot from Payne Road because of efforts to synchronize traffic signals on Payne and Maine Mall roads could lessen the need for the lane.
She added because there are several undeveloped parcels across Gallery Boulevard from where Marden’s could open, traffic studies done in the past are not accurate and suggested next spring will be the best time to re-evaluate traffic flow in the area.
Hyland said Portland –based Port City Architects have just been hired to design façade changes and suggested a more layered look for the outside of the building.
These plans would also be done in phases with primary attention going to the front and side visible from Payne Road, Hyland said.
The work will be done after the store opens and could include some landscaping on the side of the building, he said.
As board members expressed their desire to see Marden’s come to town, two local quilters also spoke in favor of the company.
July Clough and Betsy Tibbetts said members of their group have to go to Lewiston or Sanford to get supplies at Marden’s stores, where prices may be a third of other stores.
“We take our money with us when we go,” she said.
LePage thanked them for their support.
“We will have fabrics,” he said of the Scarborough store.
Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219
Staff Writer
The general manager of a chain store seeking to move into the former Scarborough Wal-Mart emphasized he would like the store to be open next month.
Paul LePage, the general manager of Waterville-based Marden’s said Tuesday he hopes the Planning Board will approve the site plan to be presented later this month.
As LePage said the store needs to be open in October to prepare for the Christmas shopping season, members of the Planning Board said they would like work with the company to approve the site plan.
“We all want to see it happen,” board chairman Allen Paul said as he and the board asked Nancy St. Claire, a senior project manager with project developer Sebago Technics of Westbrook, for detailed plans on store changes Monday.
Sebago Technics is overseeing the creation of the site plan for Marden’s to move into the 100,000 square foot store vacated by Wal-Mart last spring.
St. Clair said the delay in approval will not prevent the Waterville-based company from opening in October, so long as plans to renovate the exterior and possibly improve access from Payne Road and Gallery Boulevard could be implemented in phases while the store is open.
It is a situation board members and St. Clair noted as unusual because planning board approval is not ordinarily needed to occupy a building to be used in the same manner as it had been.
Board member Susan Auglis explained the site Marden’s would like to occupy, was included in the overall site plan for Scarborough Gallery passed by the board in 2005 because of changes to the whole area and building Gallery Boulevard.
Scarborough Gallery is now home to a Super Wal-Mart and a Lowe’s home improvement center. The need to approach the board bothered member Ron Mazer, he said.
“It seems like we are punishing the applicant or future applicants,” Mazer said.
Auglis said the board was split in 2005 when it created conditions for future development of the store.
While some board members favored requiring Scarborough Gallery developers KGI Properties to implement the conditions Marden’s now faces, it was not certain the former Wal-Mart would be reused as a one-store retail area.
Requiring the changes and having the building potentially razed did not seem fair either, Auglis said.
LePage said there will be little change to the interior of the store because using existing spaces is part of the Marden’s business plan.
The company plans to buy the building and has already bought the shelving for inventory, LePage said.
“All we need is a little maintenance, clean the floors and back up the trucks,” he said.
LePage said it was the first time his company has needed Planning Board approval to move into an existing site. If the October timeline cannot be reached, the company will expand elsewhere, LePage said.
“We need to get the fourth quarter on the books,” LePage said, although he declined to name the other site in the running for a store.
LePage said he anticipates about 130 jobs to be created when the store opens, and only the manager and assistant manager will be assigned from other stores.
St. Clair asked to postpone building a 140-foot right turn lane into the parking lot from Payne Road because of efforts to synchronize traffic signals on Payne and Maine Mall roads could lessen the need for the lane.
She added because there are several undeveloped parcels across Gallery Boulevard from where Marden’s could open, traffic studies done in the past are not accurate and suggested next spring will be the best time to re-evaluate traffic flow in the area.
Hyland said Portland –based Port City Architects have just been hired to design façade changes and suggested a more layered look for the outside of the building.
These plans would also be done in phases with primary attention going to the front and side visible from Payne Road, Hyland said.
The work will be done after the store opens and could include some landscaping on the side of the building, he said.
As board members expressed their desire to see Marden’s come to town, two local quilters also spoke in favor of the company.
July Clough and Betsy Tibbetts said members of their group have to go to Lewiston or Sanford to get supplies at Marden’s stores, where prices may be a third of other stores.
“We take our money with us when we go,” she said.
LePage thanked them for their support.
“We will have fabrics,” he said of the Scarborough store.
Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219
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