By Matthew Monks
“It's a sign that the community doesn't want this drugstore here,” said Manny Curuana, one of the scores of local residents who shot down the proposal in a 180-to-60 vote. “It's a 24-hour operation which does not lend itself well to the community.”A Florida developer in April bought the property at 80-01 Eliot Ave. and wants to renovate the factory for an 11,000-square-foot drugstore. Unicorp National Development has applied to the city Board of Standards and Appeals for a variance to slash the required number of parking spaces by 12, infuriating area residents. Zoning regulations require a building that size to have 38 spaces – Unicorp wants 26. The company also wants to operate without a loading dock. Curuana said the area is too overcrowded to start doing away with parking. “That's a sore issue in Maspeth and Middle Village,” Curuana said. “Parking is at a premium.”Community Board 5 Chairman Vincent Arcuri said without a loading dock the business could bring traffic to a halt on Eliot Avenue while receiving goods.”It's ridiculous,” Arcuri said. “They've got the land. There is no reason not to have a loading dock. That's just out of greed.”Arcuri said CB 5 will consider the variance at its July meeting, when the board's land use committee will make a presentation and recommendation. Association President Bob Holden said he – like many others – had mixed feelings about the development, describing it as possibly the “lesser of two evils.” If Walgreens were rejected, he said, it's possible that a fast food chain or something else could target the property.”I'd rather not have Walgreens,” Holden said. “But I'm afraid of what else can go in there.”Walgreens is the second-largest drug chain in the country with 4,700 stores. It has 64 in New York. The rapidly growing company opened 436 new stores last year and hopes to open another 450 this year. Reach reporter Matthew Monks by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
