Derby’s first new commercial development in four years was approved Tuesday by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The shopping center planned by applicant Louis Salemme will redevelop the old Valley Bowl property on Pershing Drive, a prime commercial property on Pershing Drive right off Route 8’s Exit 16.
The new development will include a Panera Bread restaurant, an Aldi supermarket, a bank and two other retail stores.
Although Aldi reps have been mum on the company’s interest in the Pershing Drive location, an Aldi representative attended the PZC meeting Tuesday.
The meeting also drew Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri, who called the approval “fantastic news.”
“It will be a great day for Derby,” he said.
The last new commercial construction of any significance in Derby was the Lowe’s home improvement store four years ago, although Staffieri cited Edge Fitness Center’s renovation of the old Staples store a year ago as also noteworthy.
The development’s approval also came a day after the mayor said that the city’s relationship with another company, Eclipse Development, to develop Derby’s downtown Housatonic River waterfront was over.
Project engineer Chris Gagnon told the PZC members that Salemme was eager to move forward as soon as possible. There is no planned start date for construction yet.
Article continues after photo of a plan for the site. Click here to see in more detail.
A few loose ends remain to be tied up, including permission from the Water Pollution Control Authority for a sanitary sewer connection and final approval from the State Traffic Administration, because the property is along state highway Route 334 (Pershing Drive) and sandwiched between a Route 8 exit ramp and railroad tracks.
Gagnon said the project received wetlands permit approval earlier this month.
He said on the recommendation of City Engineer Michael Joyce, the number of parking spaces was reduced from 306 to 288 to allow an expansion of the landscaping area and reduce rainwater discharge into the drainage system.
That was possible because Panera Bread is a hybrid sit-down/drive-thru food service establishment and does not require the same number of parking spaces per area of floor space as if it were just a sit-down restaurant.
Also at Joyce’s recommendation, the PZC added a condition of approval that Salemme make sure the Italian Pavilion restaurant and an adjacent self-storage business will remain accessible to Pershing Drive during the construction phase.
CORRECTION:An earlier version of this story listed the first name of the applicant for the project incorrectly.
