Source: Rhino Times Greensboro

Phillips Avenue To Get A Dollar General

by Alex Jakubsen

January 17, 2013

The Greensboro Zoning Commission gave a green light to a new Dollar General on Phillips Avenue, with the support of area residents and the Concerned Citizens of Northeast Greensboro.

The property, at 2104-2108 Phillips Avenue, is owned by the Redevelopment Commission of Greensboro, but will be sold to Glandon Forrest LLC for development once the rezoning becomes official.

Planning and Community Development Project Manager Chancer McLaughlin spoke on behalf of the Greensboro Redevelopment Commission, in favor of rezoning the property from Residential-Single Family R-5 to Conditional District-Commercial-Medium.

McLaughlin said, “The proposal submitted to staff by Glandon Forrest LLC indicates that the proposed commercial retail development is anticipated to operate seven days per week, and could possibly employ up to 10 people.”

McLaughlin requested that an additional condition be added to the rezoning stipulating that the facade visible from the street consist of masonry or stucco, rather than metal or vinyl siding.

McLaughlin said that was a result of discussions between developers and residents.

Gayland Oliver also spoke in favor of the rezoning, and submitted a petition with signatures from nearby residents supporting it as well.

Oliver said residents had been fighting for development in that area for a long time. “We want more positive things going over there, and I think this is a good effort as well,” he said.

Former Greensboro City Councilmember Goldie Wells also spoke in favor of the rezoning and the development. She said she had been working since the Winn-Dixie on Phillips Avenue closed in 1998 to bring development to the area.

“This is the first, I’d say, nibble that we’ve really had to bring some business on to Phillips,” Wells said. She said she thought it would be “a catalyst.”

Chair of the Greensboro Redevelopment Commission Dawn Chaney also spoke in favor of the rezoning. She said the fact that the land would start being used would have benefits for all of Greensboro.

Isaac Maynard, a resident of Phillips Avenue, was the only speaker opposed to the rezoning. He said that he was worried that the new store would fail and become a hangout for criminals.

However, he said he would like to see development of the Renaissance Center, formerly known as the Bessemer Center, which is also on Phillips Avenue.

“Fine, they do need development in northeast Greensboro,” Maynard said. “But do what you were going do initially.”

Zoning Commissioner Peter Placentino said, “The zoning board does not dictate where any retailer chooses to go.”

The motion to grant the rezoning passed 9 to 0.