Whole Foods proposed for Evergreen Walk

Michelle France, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·3 min read

Jun. 15—SOUTH WINDSOR — Whole Foods Market has submitted an application to the town for construction of a 50,000-square-foot grocery store at The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk, in an area where Old Navy and a Japanese restaurant are now located.

"I think this is the starting point, I believe, for the revitalization of Evergreen Walk," Mayor Andrew Paterna said Monday. "I think with them coming in there you're going to find a lot of changes within the Evergreen Walk shopping area."

WHOLE FOODS AT EVERGREEN

WHAT: Whole Foods Market looks to move into South Windsor.

WHERE: 151 Buckland Road at the Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk in the Buckland Gateway Development area.

WHEN: The project is still in early planning stages and now before the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The new construction would replace the existing 53,000-square-foot retail space known as Units 500 B, C and D on property located at 151 Buckland Road, in the Buckland Gateway Development Zone, according to unofficial minutes from the June 8 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

Whole Foods Market, Inc. is a federal Department of Agriculture certified organic grocer chain that is known for selling products free from hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, according to its website.

Amazon purchased the chain in 2017 for $13.7 billion.

This would be the fourth Whole Foods location in the Hartford area. One currently exists in Glastonbury and another in West Hartford. The company is also set to open a third grocery in Avon later this year, officials say.

The owners of Evergreen Walk recently brought in a new real estate management company, Charter Realty and Development, to develop and promote new tenets for the shopping area, which has seen a fair number of empty store fronts in the last year as retail shopping has suffered during the pandemic.

"We have a lot more retailers and businesses that they are talking to and we think that Whole Foods being there will be a magnet for these other stores if they want to come in," Paterna said.

The PZC previously approved the site for a zone change to allow a grocery store, but not with Whole Foods in mind, he said.

"We had a lot of stores who were hurt because of COVID and people doing online shopping so I think they're looking for a new mix type of stores," Paterna said. "More local retailers, but also to bring in some other avenues of entertainment, recreation, into that area to make it more than just a shopping destination — that seems to be the vision they have. This is a great first step."

Last week, the PZC unanimously approved the general plan of development, which does not address all engineering and site design details. The applicant will still need to submit an application for a site plan of development approval prior to construction, per zoning regulations, according to the unofficial minutes.

Some of those changes may include the realignment of roads and parking lots, and possibly moving some existing stores to other empty locations, PZC members have said.

Calls made to Charter Realty were not returned before press deadline.

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