COLONIE — At its last meeting, the Town of Colonie Planning Board went over a proposal that would expand a Stewart’s Shop located at 406 and 410 Albany Shaker Road.
At the meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, project representatives said that the goal of the project is to combine the two parcels of land on the project site into one, creating a larger store. In order to move forward with the project, representatives from Stewart’s Shops requested multiple waivers.
The first waiver deals with a request for a specific design relating to the canopy layout that the new store would have. The second waiver relates to parking, and the third deals with the building placement on the site itself. According to project representatives at the meeting, the requested waivers are common in convenience store projects.
During reconstruction, the store and gas pumps would remain open. The project site requires a full environmental assessment to move forward. The store will also move to eight gas pumps. It is estimated that the new store will generate approximately 350 gallons of water per day, and an existing man hole that was previously utilized by the store will be relocated to accommodate the flow. It is estimated that the store will produce about 20 tons of solid waste per year, and that the waste generated at the facility will be picked up by a private contractor, according to the project narrative.
Residents at the meeting expressed their approval over the fact that the new building would continue as a Stewart’s Shop, as opposed to a new business coming in. While some board members pointed out that a newer, larger store would have the potential to change the nature of that area of town, including a probable traffic increase, residents agreed but were not opposed to the construction.
