At Monday night’s Springfield City Council meeting, developer Frank Colaccino of Colvest Group, based in Windsor, Connecticut, presented plans for a new CVS on State Street, in a roughly triangular-shaped lot that backs on Bay Street. Colaccino’s staightforward presentation for the site plan showed shrubbery along the sidewalks, which he explained the neighborhood council had pushed for to soften the appearance of this bland, and very set-back from the street, chain pharmacy in the heart of the city, surrounded by a pool of asphalt marked with parking lines.
No one seemed to question the site plan, or the site elevations showing a plain brick building, until Councilor Bruce Stebbins stood up. "You began talking about sidewalks, but your site plan is showing no pedestrian access," he said.
"I’m glad you asked," Colaccino replied. "We will do the same thing we did over on Sumner Avenue. We will add access from State Street, and from Bay Street," he said, pointing on his site plan to where he would add painted crosswalks within his own parking lot to get from the sidewalk to the store.
"I looked at the pictures Mr. [Philip] Dromey [of the Office of Planning and Economic Development] included [in a packet for councilors], and I do like the recommendation of moving the building to the curbside," Stebbins said. "From the [provided] pictures of the [CVS] facility down in [Windsor], it eliminated the use of having to erect a large sign. Is that the case, or is it just missing from the pictures?"
At this, Colaccino looked a little exasperated, and initially ignored the question. "The tenant would not buy into this. They want the parking in the front," he said. "The reason why they bought into it in Windsor is because you had some 24 or 25 onstreet parking spaces. That was the reason. Here, you don’t have that."
Stebbins appeared to have a point: the Windsor CVS does not have a large sign. Actually, the store’s signage looks diminished compared to other CVSes. Is it because Windsor residents have better eyesight?
"The tenant basically drives the projects," Colaccino continued. "If we don’t agree to it, then we don’t have a project. And, and in terms of up front, it doesn’t have really anything to do with signage. We would still have a pylon sign. So, that would be the only thing. And if you look up and down State Street, you’ve got a number of different buildings, especially the retail buildings, that are set back, with parking in the front. So this is not unusual, we’re not changing the character. If you look from where STCC is all the way up to AIC, all along that corridor, you’ll see that for the most part, all of the retail establishments have parking in the front. And it’s the tenant’s belief that if they don’t have front-door parking, they’re not going to get business. And they’re driving the decisions," Colaccino concluded.
Stebbins, still standing, gently persisted. "This [project] is tied to a large federal investment toward State Street," he said. "As you drive up State Street, the road kind of dog-legs to the right. Up until that point, you have beautiful historic buildings along the road; you have the STCC campus; you have the high school; you have some of the older apartment buildings. This is really becoming kind of the first vantage point that really needs to be developed, that whole triangle [at Bay Street]."
"I’ll be honest with you," Stebbins continued, "I personally would like to see us do something a little bit more out of the box, something a little less cookie-cutter. I think we need to do a better job, as a city. We have to develop some type of development plan, and incentives for along this corridor, and be serious about being critical, or trying to promote the different site plans, that this is the type of development we want to attract."
"I want to see us maximize this $13 million investment," Stebbins ended. "I’m not crazy about a CVS that really won’t look much different than one in East Longmeadow or one in Ludlow. Let’s be proud of Springfield, and proud of what we can attract along this corridor."
This inspiring talk of pushing for higher standards prompted Colaccino to become yet more determined in his own line of thought. "You’ve gotta balance your concerns with development," Colaccino said. "In the city of Springfield, I don’t see a whole lot of retail development going on. It’s nice to have all these wants, and I understand. But they’ve gotta be balanced with the tenants that come to this area. This is all private money. You’re talking about $13.5 million on State Street? We’re going to be 50 percent of that on this one project," he said.
Colaccino was comparing his plans for a cookie-cutter CVS with the lengthy planning process working on improvements to the State Street corridor (PDF), which has involved numerous neighborhood and local business meetings, political support, grant funding and multiple drafts of plans. And he effectively labeled that entire process to be "all these wants."
"So if you don’t think we’re concerned about how this looks, and how it’s going to have an impact, you’re wrong," Colaccino said. "We are concerned. But we have constraints with the tenant we have to take care of, and we have to get the tenant to say yes, and sign the lease, so we can go and get private financing and build a building."
"And we don’t want a vacant lot," Colaccino added. "As it is, we went on the hook and knocked those buildings down before we had firm commitment—those buildings were demolished because they were getting dilapidated, [which] we have done without your help. Remember, design is in the eye of the beholder. You’ve gotta be careful; you’ve gotta be mindful, if you’re making the decisions."
Colaccino seemed to be saying that design in the eye of the Windsor resident differs from design in the eye of the Springfield resident, city planners be damned.
Stebbins replied, "Right. I just want you to be mindful of this $13 million investment."
"I am," Colaccino said, "and as you know, I sit on that [zoning ordinance revision] committee." The draft the committee is working on clearly states (PPT) that smaller setbacks are better for denser areas, and that parking should be placed to the rear where possible. Of all developers eyeing Springfield, Colaccino presumably knows this.
In the packet presented to the City Council, the planning office offered pictures of the Windsor CVS, which provides parking at the side and rear. The department also provided an extensive written analysis of the proposed State Street CVS site plan, with recommendations to table the request for a special permit—for the drive-through—until the site plan can be adjusted with a smaller setback.
"[T]he historic development patterns along State Street have been to build up to the street line and provide parking at the rear or side of the buildings," the analysis states. "It should be noted that the buildings which were demolished had this development pattern. This type of urban development enhances and prioritizes pedestrians over vehicular traffic and helps to form a cohesive fabric along the commercial corridor."
"The staff believes that this type of [proposed] ‘suburban’ design is inappropriate for Springfield," the analysis continues. "In order to enhance the quality of design and promote a strong urban core, the staff strongly recommends that the petitioner be required to revise the proposed plan to move the building up to the street line reflecting the traditional development patterns of State Street. The staff believes that this can be and has been accomplished in other communities while still allowing the drive-up service window and adequate parking facilities."
Of the Windsor CVS, the analysis states, "[T]he building has been constructed up to the street line, providing direct pedestrian access, with the parking located on the side and rear of the building. A drive-up service window has also been accommodated on the side of the building. The staff was also impressed with the architectural details in the design; most notably, the window elements that have been incorporated on the side of the building."
"In such designs as this one on State Street, the side walls are solid brick," the analysis continues. "The staff feels that the addition of these window elements [on the Windsor CVS] help to break up this large expanse of solid wall. There is also accent lighting located above the windows which provide a very unique effect. Architectural elements have also been incorporated in the roof design."
"In speaking with the Planner for the Town of Windsor," the analysis says, "this development came about through a working partnership with the developer. The staff firmly believes that this development and its design elements are the type and quality that the City should be requiring, especially along this very prominent commercial corridor and other neighborhood commercial districts."
City Councilor Domenic Sarno dismissed the analysis as mere "philosophy." During discussion at one point, he stood up briefly and said, "Philosophy is great. But you have to be action-oriented." He concluded bluntly, "It’s great to have the thoughts, but if you can’t develop it, it means nothing."
Photos of Windsor CVS provided by the Springfield Office of Planning and Economic Development.
