Business & Tech

Bishops Corner Plans Include Massage Clinic, Bank, Outdoor Dining

Aspects of renewal project still await town, state approvals.

As early as May, the former Blockbuster building in Bishops Corner will be home to a clinic called Massage Envy. The new business is just one of several significant changes planned for the plaza anchored by Marshall's.

"We are subdividing the former Blockbuster location into two retail spaces," said Robbie Robertson, spokesman for developer Edens & Avant. "The first space has been leased by Massage Envy, a national massage clinic located in 43 states, and they have a tentative opening date of May 10. We are in discussions with other retailers to fill the remaining space and hope to make an announcement in the coming months."

Edens & Avant is also seeking a change in the zoning district designation so that it can build a new 2,848-square-foot bank building along North Main Street on a portion of what is now the Marshall's parking lot. A public hearing on that zoning change has been scheduled for March 22.

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Pending approval, Robertson said, "it will be a national full service bank with drive-through services."

In addition to those projects, Edens & Avant has hopes to turn the former Barnes & Noble building into space for a restaurant with outdoor dining on the plaza outside.

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"At this time, we are in negotiations with potential retailers," Robertson said. "Ideally, we would like to fill the space with a unique restaurant concept, so that we can utilize the adjacent plaza area for outdoor dining and community spaces with tables, benches and landscaping. It’s our goal to create a gathering place where people can slow down and relax with family and friends."

Edens & Avant plans to tear down the parking garage behind Marshall's, and pending state and town approvals, hopes to complete that work by next fall.

Improvements to lanscaping, lighting and the installation of pedestrian walkways — some of which also require town and state approvals — should be completed, Robertson said, by the end of the year.

Six year ago, a major $100 million redevelopment of the plaza was proposed but later shelved. The series of improvements planned for his year will likely cost in the neighborhood of $10 million.

In his State of the Town address in January, Mayor Scott Slifka said 2011 was the "year of Bishops Corner" in reference to all the improvements planned for the shopping area.

To follow developments at Bishops Corner, link to the Facebook page www.facebook.com/BishopsCorner or follow the Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/#!/bishopscorner

The Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association also has a Facebook page where neighbors can post comments. For that page, click here or post a comment below.


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