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Developers will be taking their approved plan to build a Whole Foods market back to the town of Frisco in an effort to expand the square footage of the commercial structure.
The planning meeting on May 16 will determine whether or not the Whole Foods store will be increased from the originally proposed 25,000 square feet to 32,000 square feet.
The expansion reflects Whole Foods’ confidence in the development of a store at 120 Lusher Court, said Brynn Grey developer David O’Neil. The larger square footage also matches the average size of existing Whole Foods markets, he said.
The commercial development project was approved by the town in June 2012. The project includes a request to develop 105,000 square feet of space at the Lusher site, also known as the Interstate Parcel.
The city has been working with the developer to ensure the end-product is something that matches the town’s needs and goals, according to Frisco’s community development director Jocelyn Mills.
“The council was really excited to bring the Whole Foods proposal to the community and see if they liked it,” Mills said.“The response has been 99 percent positive,” she said.
If the expanded Whole Foods site proposal is approved, the next step would be to break ground on Phase 1 of the project, O’Neil said. This includes the construction of the Whole Foods site as well as two additional commercial/retail buildings. O’Neil said the developers were homing in on their vision for these sites.
“Brynn Grey focuses on taking space and creating something that has a sense of community and a sense of place,” he said.
Although the property was identified as an economic development priority in 2003, it’s taken several years for Frisco to approve a project for the site.
“Other commercial development sites have been proposed there in the past but have been voted down,” Mills said. “It’s been pretty controversial.”
In 2005, a proposal to build a Home Depot on the site was defeated. Brynn Grey representatives said in contrast to past site proposals, they’ve received a positive response from the public.The company’s Friends of Whole Food Frisco Facebook page had been “liked” or “friended” by more than 600 people within weeks of its creation.
“Everybody is really excited,” O’Neil said.
Frisco officials weighed criteria including pedestrian connections, functionality of space, architecture and traffic effects, among other factors before agreeing to move forward with the development.
The modified proposal, asking for the expansion of the Whole Foods market, will be discussed at the Town of Frisco’s planning commission meeting at 5 p.m. on May 16.
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News
