Ulta, Marshalls, pet store looking to move next to Costco, developer says
Ulta Beauty, Marshalls Home Goods and a pet supply store may be coming to Route 58 in Riverhead.
Bill Greimel, vice president of construction for Brixmor Property Group, told the Riverhead Town Planning Board on Thursday that tentative leasing agreements have already been reached for his company’s proposed 120,000-square-foot development next to Costco. He didn’t disclose the name of the pet supply company.
Planning Board members told Mr. Greimel his company, which developed Costco, needs to do a better job of landscaping and buffering neighboring properties.
“I’ll be perfectly honest with you,” explained board member Ed Densieski, “I did not have a pleasant experience dealing with this company on this property in the past. The residents along the northern borderline really had a tough go.”
Brixmor caught the ire of neighbors in 2013 when it clear-cut all the trees on the 41-acre property, causing dust to blow onto neighboring properties to the north and east. The clear-cutting was done with Town Board and Planning Board approval, as Brixmor had told the town it would do a “balance cut and fill,” meaning that sand excavated on the property would be reused elsewhere so that no sand or materials would be imported or exported.
The town had required Brixmor to build a fence and berm on the northern part of the property to protect homes in the Foxwood Village community, but those neighbors said the fence was inadequate and the trees that were planted were small or had died, so the town required a different type of fence and new trees.
On Thursday, Mr. Densieski said many of the trees planted as a buffer continue to die.
“To get my support, you’re going to have to make this right,” Mr. Densieski told Mr. Greimel. “No way are we going through what we went through last time.”
Planning Board chairman Stan Carey said he visited the property Wednesday and found “quite a few dead trees and shrubs.”
Mr. Greimel assured the Planning Board the landscaping issue will be fixed.
“With all due respect,” Mr. Densieski replied, “do you know how many times your company has told us that?”
“We’ll replace them,” Mr. Greimel said. “It’s an ongoing thing. It’s been a tough summer”
The Planning Board will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposal Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Top photo: Brixmor representative Bill Greimel, left, and consultant Courtney Riley discuss new plans for the shopping center next to Costco at Thursday’s Planning Board meeting. (Credit: Tim Gannon)
