Manchester’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday discussed a proposed redevelopment of the former Sam’s Club property at 69 Pavilions Drive following the property’s sale last month.
According to a pre-application form submitted to the town from Peter M. Levine, owner and principal of Amber Properties LLC, the developer bought the property from Walmart for $6.1 million on May 21.
The property consists of the vacant 138,000-square-foot building with 540 parking spaces on 12.2 acres. On Monday, Levine submitted his initial ideas for the location to the commission and received some feedback. In the future he’ll submit a formal application to the commission and a public hearing will be held.
While the property is zoned for retail, Amber Properties hopes to convert the building into a multitenant warehouse/distribution/light manufacturing facility, which would require a special exception or regulation amendment.
“It’s a great building that’s in a use that isn’t really viable anymore,” Levine said Monday, referring to big-box retail stores.
In addition to the slump in retail during the pandemic, Levine said that Walmart places several deed restrictions on properties it sells, meaning several types of businesses, such as Amazon facilities or other rival retailers, can’t go into such properties.
Levine said that the building already has several major characteristics of warehouse facilities, such as concrete floors and full HVAC.
He told the commission Monday that the proposed redevelopment plan he has for this property is similar to one he did at another Sam’s Club last year in Seabrook, New Hampshire. In that case, the property was rezoned from retail to industrial and leased to two separate warehouse/distribution tenants. He said that property will generate more than 100 full-time jobs.
Levine said the 69 Pavilions Drive property is even more attractive than the New Hampshire property based on what has already been done to it, but he said the conversion would require some work.
Director of Planning and Economic Development Gary Johnson said that the proposed change in use of the property reflects the decline of in-person retail and said there is increased demand for these warehouses and distribution facilities.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Eric Prause said that the plan has potential, but he’s interested in what comments might come from a public hearing, specifically regarding traffic flow.
