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caption:
Getting Started
A small excavator gets to work on the new entrance to Walmart April 30, at the eastern end of the store's parking lot. Linda Lemmon photo.
Full grocery,
fabric dept. on tap
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM --- The Walmart expansion took off running April 30 with construction beginning on the new entrance road. In short order, a reconfiguration of the parking lot will take place, followed by the addition of more than 46,000 square feet of new retail space across the front facade of the current store.
The total project will take about 15 months, said Chris Buchanan, of Walmart Public Affairs and Government Relations. The new store space will include a full grocery. The garden center will move to the south side of the building. In addition to full groceries, a full-sized fabric/crafts department will return. The contractor is Callahan, Inc., based in Bridgewater, Mass., a firm with a long history of working with Walmart, Buchanan said.
A new entrance is being built straight across from the southbound exit 97 ramp off I-395. It will run along the east side of the Shell station, according to Fred Wojick of the town's Land Use Office. Part of the current retention basin will be filled in to allow the new entrance road to come into the parking lot. Because Walmart is adding a new storm water management system under the revamped parking lot, a smaller retention basin will suffice. Wojick said the road and parking lot work are being done under the Inland Wetlands permit that Walmart has.
Buchanan said, "The project starts with the construction of the new driveway including all off-site roadway improvements and a new traffic signal. Once that work is complete, the new driveway will be opened and the existing driveway and traffic signal will be taken out of service and removed to make room for the parking lot expansion." The new entrance should be finished by Sept. 15. He added, "The improvements on Rt. 44 include a small widen on the south side of Rt. 44 east of the existing bridge. Most of the work will be pavement improvement and re-striping related. It is likely there will be temporary lane closures when the work is on going but it will be conducted in cooperation with ConnDOT and local authorities so that the traveling public will be properly managed during the construction work."
Following that the parking lot will be expanded and then work will begin on the north end of the store (closest to Rt. 44). Then the new Grocery Vestibule and Grocery section of the store will be opened customers will be directed to the new parking area and entrance. Then the existing entrance will be taken out of service and expansion of the south and southeast sides of the building will be conducted including the construction of a new smaller Garden Center on the southeast corner of the building. The garden center will be about 3,500 square feet. The current size of the store now is about 99,000 square feet.
Buchanan added, "Walmart has been a local corporate citizen in Putnam since 1995. The success of our company is largely due to the town and the town’s folks. This plan to expand the store and provide the expanded grocery offering is a culmination of what has been a wonderful relationship with the town and its citizens. The decision to expand the store is indicative of Walmart’s commitment to Putnam well into the future. Overall, we are very excited about this project and we look forward to saving our Putnam area customers money so they can live better. "
After the groundbreaking April 30, Delpha Very, director of the town's Economic and Community Development Office, said, “ The Office of Economic and Community Development sends our sincerest ‘Congratulations’ on the success of their Putnam Walmart location and its expansion project. Walmart attracts many citizens from our neighboring communities of Massachusetts and Rhode Island having the ability to shop other retail, commercial and service locations in Putnam. Walmart has been and will continue to be, a supportive community partner giving to local charities and event-based initiatives within our town. With expanded services and a greater store footprint, the jobs being created will certainly be an added benefit. “