Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

New store proposed for JFK Plaza

By Amy Calder acalder@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- A Tractor Supply Co. store will open in part of the former L.L. Bean call center at JFK Plaza early next year, if all goes according to plan.

The Planning Board voted 6-0 Monday to approve revisions to a previously-approved plan for the plaza.

The revision would allow an outdoor fenced-in display area for Tractor Supply equipment in the west side of the parking lot.

Al Hodsdon, owner of A.E. Hodsdon Engineers, of Waterville, said traffic flow would change only slightly because of the display area.

Tractor Supply generates only a small number of transactions, maybe 25 or 30 a day, he said.

"It's low-impact, low density activity-type of retail space," he said.

Dan Fuchs, vice president of WP Realty, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., which owns JFK Plaza, said Tractor Supply has more than 600 locations. The company does not sell large tractors; rather, it sells tractor supplies, lawn mowers, parts and attachments and clothing. The display area would house items such as small tractors and riding lawnmowers.

"It's really a farm supply type of store," he said.

He said Tractor Supply would take up about 24,000-square-feet of the 75,000-square-foot building, or about 1/3 of the building, he said. WP Realty is looking for more retail tenants for the remaining space, he said.

Planning Board Chairman David Geller said initially that he thought an outdoor display area does not quite fit in with the general tenor of the whole JFK Plaza.

Fuchs said Tractor Supply has an outdoor display area at every one of its stores.

"If they don't get it, they don't do the store," he said.

Geller conceded that the area where the fenced-in display would be is in the "least obtrusive area."

Planner Paul Mitchell said the L.L. Bean call center impacted the parking areas much more than Tractor Supply would.

Hodsdon agreed.

"The parking problem really occurred here when they had their sales -- L.L. Bean had their discount sales," he said.

Planner Eliza Mathias said the issue for her was that motorists cut through the area near VIP to enter the parking lot, creating a dangerous situation. Fuchs said a stop sign could be installed there to control that traffic. Geller concurred with Mathias.

"I agree; this is horrible," he said. "It's an absolute accident waiting to happen."

He said that driving through a parking lot to avoid a traffic issue actually is illegal, according to Maine law.

"What about a speed bump? I'm telling you, people plow right through there," he said.

Fuchs said the retail space has been on the market for a while, and WP believes Tractor Supply is the best option for the site.

The board voted to attach conditions to approval, including that a stop sign be installed, that the revisions receive state Department of Environmental Protection approval, and that if another retailer is identified for the remaining space in the building, WP Realty would come back to the board so that planners can consider parking issues.

Meanwhile, in response to how long the lease with Tractor Supply would be, Fuchs said WP Realty doesn't reveal terms or lengths of leases, but it typically does five or 10-year leases. He said Tractor Supply stores typically have a handful of full-time employees.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com