A newer, larger CVS Pharmacy proposed for the corner of Washington and Fort Couch roads in Upper St. Clair has several small businesses at the Campbell Place shopping plaza worried about being displaced, but officials say the deal still is up in the air.
“Our landlord is telling us the deal could still fall through,” said Toni Shelaske, owner of Healthy Pet Products. “So far it hasn't affected our business, except for getting our customers into a state of panic because they're worried about where we're going to go.”
Shelaske has been at Campbell Place since 2011, when it still was known as Crossgates Plaza. The center changed ownership last year around the same time that CVS started talking to the township about relocating its store, currently on another corner of the intersection, into a larger space with a drive-through pharmacy lane where the shopping center currently stands.
“I have tenants in the existing space, and I'm doing all I can to protect them. ... All the tenants want to stay,” said H. Brian Peck, one of the brothers who purchased the property. CVS has a contract on the property that gives the company the option of walking away, but they are still doing their “due diligence” on the property and working with the township and PennDOT before making their final decision, he said.
CVS is proposing a 13,225-square-foot, stand-alone store for the corner, and is requesting permission from the township that would allow the store to be open 24 hours to remain competitive with Walgreens, which operates its own pharmacy on yet another corner of the same intersection.
CVS representatives asked the commission to postpone deciding on the development's approval and its hours of operation at the board's August voting meeting. The next time it could come up for a vote is Sept. 8. CVS representatives couldn't be reached for comment.
Dan LaCarte, executive vice president of Charleroi-based Model Cleaners, said the Campbell Place storefront is the busiest of the dry-cleaner's 13 locations. If the deal with CVS goes through, the company will look for other locations in Upper St. Clair.
“We certainly want to be in that ZIP code,” LaCarte said. “It's been tough finding spaces in that market, but we're looking at a couple of potential moves.”
Cindy Parknavy knew the center could be redeveloped when she opened The Flower Studio there three and a half years ago, but the location was too good to pass up, she said.
“I've been in Upper St. Clair my whole life, and of course, that location is a great corner,” Parknavy said. She said she is looking at three options for relocation, including another in Upper St. Clair, but hasn't made a decision.
Shelaske said she hopes to maintain a South Hills location for her business, which also is in McCandless, but she worried that commercial space elsewhere in Upper St. Clair is rare and the few spaces available have higher rent.
“We've been looking with a broker for several months now, but within a square mile of where we are now is a very high-rent district,” she said. “If we have to move, it will probably be a few miles south, to Peters.”
“More and more national chains are taking over, and it's greatly increasing the rent per square foot of even the worst locations,” Parknavy said.
In addition to the florist and pet products store, the plaza hosts a cleaning chain, a Boston Market, an Einstein Brothers Bagels and a personal trainer.
“They say it's still up in the air; they probably won't tell me anything until the day before it happens,” said Tia Safran, manager at the Boston Market.
Matthew Santoni is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412 380 5625 or msantoni@tribweb.com.
