Paul Bass Photo
Cumberland Farms wants to bring a slice of the suburbs to this upper Whalley block. It has won some neighbors to its side.
The chain has filed a request for a variance with the Zoning Board of Appeals seeking to raze a liquor store and six adjoining buildings on Whalley Avenue by the corner of Dayton Street, and to spend $3 million putting a suburban strip-style 24-hour convenience store and gas station there instead. The operation will not be selling beer, liquor, or tobacco.
Months in advance of submitting those plans, Cumberland Farms officials met three times with Alderwoman Angela Russell and with neighbors to get feedback on security, traffic, and landscaping concerns.
The plaza would replace, beside Whalley Liquors, a barber shop as well as residential buildings. Russell said she supports the final plan, but does plan to draft a letter requesting that the location not sell rolling papers.
Sixteen neighbors made their concerns known at the most recent “community conversation” organized by Ward 27 Alderwoman Russell, last Thursday evening at Mauro-Sheridan School. Russell has been in contact with Cumberland Farms representatives since April.
Seated at cafeteria tables, with paper cut-outs in the shapes of fruits on the walls, the attendees participated in a lively back-and-forth with Chuck Meek, a spokesman from First Hartford Corporation, and Patrick O’Leary, a principal at VHB, the engineering firm contracted to develop the plaza.
Safety Concerns
CORA LEWIS PHOTO
Alderwoman Russell.
Sixteen security cameras – no fewer. And no outdoor seating, which might encourage loitering.
These are among the changes concerned citizens made to the original plans since the first meeting with Cumberland Farms representatives months ago. Thursday night, several expressed further concerns about safety, pedestrian walkways, and late-night lighting.
“Kids are kids, and it’s an urban area. My experience with Cumby’s is it’s typically in suburban markets,” said Westville activist Andrew Orefice, 36, who works at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He stressed the importance of having security cameras on all green areas, whether adjacent to the street or to residences.
Others brought up recent robberies at CVS and the shooting of a manager at Burger King, asking how Cumberland Farms will safeguard against similar crimes.
“I’ve done a lot of retail, and I try to help the community understand. You need a starting point sometimes where you get rid of the old buildings and bring something new in,” said O’Leary. “It’s not [because] I work for Cumberland Farms, but I’ll be honest with you — if you take a Cumberland Farms building versus a 7 – 11, they’re dramatically different. And I want the Cumberland Farms next to me, not the Hess.”
Traffic & Cheaper Gas
O’Leary (at right in photo, with Meek) clarified that Cumberland Farms stores are not “destination locations.” They depend primarily on pass-by traffic. While people might drive five miles to go to Home Depot, Cumberland Farms operates on a different model. The company was interested in the Whalley location because of its existing traffic; it is one of the city’s most-traveled thoroughfares.
“In probably the first month or two or three weeks, there’s always a newness and curiosity factor,” O’Leary said. After that wears off, store traffic should return to ordinary levels, he said.
The state spent over $18 million to widen that stretch of upper Whalley to allow more traffic to zoom through the neighborhood.
A number of neighbors at Thursday’s meeting asked Meek what will separate this 24-hour store from others in the neighborhood. Some described the plan as resembling a 7 – 11 with a better color scheme and better landscaping.
“Outside of the design of our building and our structure, outside of the attractiveness on the outside, the interior is excellent,” said Meek.
He described the space: big open vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors, with all products at eye level and below. Meek said the store would be comparable to the Cumberland Farms location in Vernon. In addition to coffee, the spot would sell ice cream, slushies, and hot food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
O’Leary mentioned that a Cumberland Farms near his home drove gas prices down by 12 or 14 cents because of a smart-pay card that gives the buyer an automatic 10 cent discount. In order to compete, other local gas stations dropped their prices to match or under-sell the Cumberland Farms, he said
All said, according to Meek, Cumberland Farms believes it has an overall better product. It will also bring new jobs to the area, he said.
A typical Cumberland Farms employs 12 – 15 people, he said. Meek promised to hire people from the neighborhood for this store. He added that the company is currently working with local police on a safety plan.
Westville Warms
Anne Weaver Lozon, a Westville activist, described the plan as “a suburban design plunked on an urban corner.” She said she opposes the plan.
“I think it’s going to be another hangout spot,” said Tennille Murphy, a home-based businesswoman who has owned a home on Dayton Street for 15 years. “I don’t see why it needs to be 24 hours.”
“We need economic development, and this is the only offer on the table,” countered Minister Richard Furlow. Furlow said he will be able to see the Cumberland Farms from his home, and he favors the change in his view.
Alderwoman Russell called the plan “a responsible economic development opportunity that will bring great value to the community.” She added: “I still live here. It affects me the way it affects everyone else. I also believe it will help ease the tax burden.”
The plan needs to go before the City Plan Commission for review as well as a final vote by the zoning board.
Meek said he felt positive at the end of Thursday’s meeting, after all the give-and-take that has occurred over the past months.
“It took time to get them on board, so it was nice to have some public support today,” Meek said. “Obviously we didn’t get it at first.”
Last week I passed by this corner and saw at least 5 police cruisers near the barbershop searching the parking lot. This is an increasingly common scene on upper whalley. I'm disappointed that the Cumby rep gave such shallow responses to residents' very serious queries regarding what makes their store different from similar ventures in the area. Hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings are nice. But say very little about discouraging criminal elements. Residents are more concerned about public safety than aesthetics. It's critical that this be addressed.