By Adam Swift
Market Basket wants to build a 20,000-square-foot liquor store in the plaza next to its grocery store at 170 Everett Avenue.
The project was before the zoning board of appeals for an initial public hearing last week. It will still need to go before the planning board for a recommendation later this month before coming back to the ZBA for a vote on a special permit in November.
In addition, Market Basket has signed a memorandum of agreement with the city to conduct a master plan for the future use of its Everett Avenue property. It’s a move that the city council, especially Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson, has been pushing for for several years.
Carmine Tomas of LT Development, representing Market Basket, said there are several elements to the MB Spirits liquor store project in addition to the construction of the 19,978-square-foot liquor store.
“Right now, in that section of the site, there is an area where buses, cabs, and (rideshares) go,” said Tomas. “What Market Basket has done is to take the opportunity to rethink and improve, enhance and redesign the multimodal piece.”
Tomas said Market Basket is working with the MBTA to provide an area where three T buses can park while other traffic can safely move around them. In addition, he said there will be 16 dedicated parking spaces for taxis and rideshares.
The liquor store and transportation improvements will be the first phase of the master plan process for the site, Tomas said.
“As for the liquor store, this is something Market Basket has heard from many of its customers in the area looking for what is called an MB Spirits component to the project,” said Tomas.
The Chelsea location would be the sixth in the state, joining other locations in Danvers, Waltham, Hanover, Tewksbury, and Shrewsbury.
“It will be consistent with the Market Basket name and way they do things, it will be low cost but very high quality,” said Tomas. “There will be a strong emphasis on state-of-the-art facial recognition for IDs and extensive training for employees to make sure they are being responsible.”
Tomas said there will likely not be a huge increase in traffic, since many of the customers will be shoppers who are already going to the grocery store.
DePriest requested more details on the traffic, utilities, landscaping, and lighting plans before the project goes before the planning board and back to the ZBA.
“I’m here to support Carmine and the group,” said Robinson. “It took us two years to negotiate and be able to get to the point where they do a master plan.”
Robinson said the city is committed to working with Market Basket to ensure the best development for the property.