CLAYTON -- Construction of a new commercial center on U.S. 70 Business has resumed, although the developer is still looking for additional buyers of its lots..
The tract at U.S. 70 Business and Shotwell Road currently has just one business – a freestanding CVS Pharmacy. But the developers of Pine Hollow Commons are moving forward with the commercial center, first approved by the town in 2008. This time, Pine Hollow does not include plans for a big-box store.
“We’ve been sitting on this for years,” said Rob Meurer of developer White Company. “We’re glad we’re getting some activity down there.”
Right now, the only business ready to begin construction is Pep Boys, the car-repair chain. The developers are still looking for buyers for the other four standalone lots and hope to fill them with a bank branch, a restaurant and retail.
“The big lot behind CVS, which has frontage on Shotwell, they’re anticipating a larger user, and that’s the one that we would like to see potentially a restaurant,” said town planning director David DeYoung.
Meurer said his company is waiting to hear from interested businesses. “We’re only developing the land and offering the out-lots for sale,” he said. “It’s ultimately up to the market. We’re developing the land for commercial/retail uses, so we’d hope to get a branch bank, a fast-food outlet, any other freestanding retailers.”
When the town originally approved Pine Hollow, the plan was to have a big-box store as the central attraction. Five businesses would front U.S. 70 Business, and seven more would be on the interior of the property.
The new plan has environmental benefits compared with the previous site plan. The developer says the addition of a stormwater feature will reduce the site’s impact on wetlands and nearby Little Creek.
The commercial subdivision sits along a curve in Shotwell Road, which already has a busy intersection with U.S. 70 Business and an entrance to a larger shopping center with a Lowe’s Foods.
The town submitted the Pine Hollow Commons plan to the N.C. Department of Transportation for review. In response, the DOT said the developers would have to add turn lanes on Shotwell Road and another exit onto U.S. 70.
