Walgreens Negotiations Continue

DEEP RIVER - Negotiations between Turnpike Properties, a Fairfield partnership who owns Deep River Shopping Center, Walgreens, and the town of Deep River could offer hope for concerned residents.

Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Jonathan Kastner said an ad hoc committee, consisting of residents who are registered architects, is working with Turnpike Properties to improve the design of the building.

Architect and resident Paul Gurda wrote in a July 19 letter that "A store the size of this Walgreen's needs to work especially hard to fit in; otherwise it makes a joke of our intention to preserve and promote Deep River's existing character."

In a May 17 letter, architect and resident John Kennedy wrote that the proposed projects of a Cumberland Farms convenience store and gas station and Walgreens pharmacy could change the characteristics of the town.

"This unplanned development is a 'railroad train' that needs to be slowed down, and controlled, or we will lose that 'small town character' of Deep River, which most of us desire," Kennedy wrote.

Improvements to the Walgreens pharmacy are expected to change its exterior design, height, materials, and make it fit in better with the small village character of the Town of Deep River.

"The town would have more input on design than Planning and Zoning regulations because we are not in the architect business," Kastner said.

Kastner confirmed that if substantial changes are made, there is the possibility the application would have to be then sent back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for approval.

In exchange for making design changes, Walgreens requests designated parking spaces specifically reserved for Walgreens customers.

The pharmacy chain is afraid the proposed 40-space municipal lot between the pharmacy and the town hall would be filled with people going to town hall or other downtown destinations and those customers would be turned away due to lack of parking, Kastner said.