Drive Plus to go down; CVS to go up

By WENDY STIVER — wstiver@lockhaven.com
LOCK HAVEN — Good-bye old Drive Plus and Quality Used Outlet buildings.

Hello, CVS drug store and a brand new Quality Used Outlet store.

The CVS that has been planned for some time for Bellefonte Avenue at Commerce Street has received the blessing of the city planning commission, with a few conditions.

The planners signed off on the drug store’s land development plan and a related subdivision Wednesday, according to City Planner Leonora Hannagan.

CVS plans to demolish the former Drive Plus site, owned by Mark Rosemeier, as well as the Quality Used Outlet building owned by Jason Roberts, to make way for the drug store and parking lot, according to city zoning officer Cyndi Walker.

The CVS will be built on the northern end of the lot, away from the avenue, Walker said, and the parking lot will be accessed from both the avenue and Commerce Street.

Roberts also plans to build the new Quality Used Outlet away from the avenue, near Your Building Center, she said.

Scott Bastian of North Forest Development Group is the developer for the site, Walker said. His company will do the demolition work and build Roberts’ new store.

The real estate closings could be accomplished within 60 to 90 days, Walker said.

Neither business has submitted construction plans yet, Walker said, so she does not have an estimate of what the new buildings will be worth. However, the city planners have already said the CVS development must meet these conditions:

— The building should be moved back another foot and a half so landscaping meets the city’s requirement. The first five feet from the property line must be landscaped, Walker explained, to screen the view of the parking area and keep car headlights in the lot from shining into traffic.

Quality Used Outlet’s plan shows landscaping on four feet, eight inches, not a complete five feet, but the planners forgave the remaining four inches.

— The CVS parking lot must be set up so traffic may enter it by turning right only, and also leave it by turning right only, similar to the McDonald’s parking lot up the avenue.

The land development plan also must pass muster with the city engineer for storm water management and utilities, Walker said.

The county planning commission also will have the chance to review it and make comments, she said.