Demo starts for new Dollar General store in Albion

This photo shows a printout of a Dollar General rendering of a proposed store on East Avenue in Albion, across from the high school.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Demolition has begun to clear the way for a new Dollar General store in Albion. A contractor is knocking down the current building, which previously was used for auto sales and a warehouse.

Dollar General will be building a new 10,640-square-foot retail store across from the high school, a project that received final approval from the Village of Albion Planning Board on March 12.

Many nearby residents and other community members expressed concerns about having the store in a congested area near the school where there are many kids walking to and from school.

But the Village of Albion Planning Board said they anticipate the store will have a small impact on traffic and pedestrians.

The site at 327 East Ave. is in the general business district. The store fits with the zoning.

This photo shows a printout of a Dollar General rendering of a proposed store on East Avenue in Albion, across from the high school.

The Broadway Group, developer for Dollar General, has removed three underground tanks and will do other site remediation to meet Department of Environmental Conservation standards.

The Orleans County Planning Board on Feb. 26 recommended Albion approve the site plan for the project, saying the store is consistent with a general commercial district and isn’t expected to have any significant negative impacts to the nearby residents or school.

The site is in a school zone with the speed limit at 20 miles per hour during school hours, and there is an ice cream business next to the site.

Delivery trucks will come outside of peak hours to the Dollar General and will be limited to exiting from the east only. That was a stipulation by the state Department of Transportation.