CVS/Pharmacy coming to Roosevelt
Square
By Susan S. Stevens
CVS/Pharmacy has announced it will open a drug store with a “green” roof on the southwest corner of Roosevelt Road and Racine Avenue in Related Midwest's Roosevelt Square development. Set to open in 2010, the 13,330 square foot store will offer a drivethrough window for prescription pick- p and almost everything standard in CVS stores. It will not sell alcoholic beverages.
“The neighborhood has called for it consistently since we started Roosevelt Square,” said Mike Kelly, Related Midwest’s community service representative. The company will rent the land to the pharmacy, which will pay construction costs.
“We will be signing a lease with them, probably next month,” Kelly said. “There will be a clause in the lease to hire from the neighborhood. We commend them for it.”
A staff of nine to 13 employees will operate the store from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, in two shifts. “I don’t think we would mind them going 24 hours,” Kelly said. Hiring locally is something “we always do,” said Lee Winter, vice president of Gershman, Brown, Crowley Inc., a real estate development company constructing stores for CVS. Winter said employees who live near stores are less likely to drive and occupy parking places. The store will have space for about 40 vehicles.
The Roosevelt Square CVS will be one of the company’s first in Chicago with a roof largely covered by plants. Two-thirds of the flat roof will hold cedum (a ground covering plant that requires no maintenance) in metal trays on long, metal tables. The roof will be constructed to bear more than the usual amount of weight to accommodate the cedum.
“Theoretically, we should not have to water at all,” Winter said. A water supply will be available, however, in case the cedum does not get enough rain.
The roof designs reflects an agreement CVS made with the City of Chicago last year to incorporate “green” elements in all its new freestanding buildings. “In the next five years, we probably will do close to ten stores a year,” Winter said. “The lion’s share will be freestanding.” The others will be in buildings with multiple purposes.
Parking will be available on the building’s west and south sides, with the store set back from the sidewalk by landscaping. Cars will enter and leave the parking lot by way of Racine; they will be able to enter and exit to the right on Roosevelt as well. Also, workers will erect a bus shelter on Roosevelt Road.
The University Village Association (UVA) community group has approved CVS’s plans. “Our development committee was impressed with the design— all brick and stone exterior,” said Chris Provenzano, UVA executive director. “They’ve done a very good job with the landscaping.
The green roof is a good element.” The store’s sides facing Roosevelt and Racine will feature window displays instead of blank walls. Provenzano said UVA members like the “soft façade.”
The UVA also approved of CVS’s agreement not to sell liquor in the
store.
At press time, CVS was awaiting City approval of the final plan, Winter said.
