The proposal for a CVS pharmacy at the corner of Cooper and Union — where the former Union Avenue Methodist Church sits — failed at the Land Use Control Board earlier today.
Staff from the Office of Planning and Development recommended rejecting the proposal, citing issues with the site plan — both the placement of the building, as well as the amount of windows — the demolition of the historic Union Avenue Methodist Church building, and the fact that the proposal does not meet the standards of the yet-to-be-approved Midtown zoning overlay. OPD said the plan “reflects a typical suburban retail development form.”
Attorney Ricky Wilkins, representing CVS, said the company spends a great deal of time studying each of their sites before designing a site plan.
“If the data supports an urban design, that’s what CVS builds. If the data indicates that a suburban design as described — we don’t believe ours is that — is needed then that is what our site plan reflects,” Wilkins said. “Union Avenue is a state highway. Our pedestrian counts indicate that 40,000 more cars to every 100 pedestrians that travel up and down Union and Cooper.”
Opponents of the plan were out in full-force, filling the council chambers. They cited many of the same reasons why OPD staff recommended against approval.
