Plans for a new grocery store on State Road in Vineyard Haven put forward by Island entrepreneur Elio Silva have been fast-tracked at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, which was expected to vote on the project last night.

Appearing before the commission last Thursday Mr. Silva, who owns Vineyard Grocer and Tisbury Farm Market, described the plan to consolidate his two businesses in a new location at the intersection of High Point Lane and State Road in a complex currently occupied by Island Home Furnishings. Mr. Silva’s project would demolish one of two buildings on the site and replace it with a three-story “Vineyard style” structure that would feature a wraparound porch that would extend around both buildings. The new building would also include four affordable apartments on the second floor.

Mr. Silva, who moved to the Vineyard from Brazil in 1988, has operated a number of businesses that have placed an emphasis on fair trade, local, healthy and affordable products. He was nominated this week by the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce to receive the Build a Better Mousetrap Award from the small business association Cape Cod SCORE in recognition of his businesses, which he says are modeled in large part on Trader Joe’s.

On Thursday he said the popularity of the Tisbury Farm Market, which sells produce, coffee and meat, and the Vineyard Grocer, which specializes in dry goods, has prompted him to plan a move for a consolidated market.

“Our first intention was to buy the building and do most of the work in the first building and have the back for storage, but after talking to people in town they said you’re shortchanging yourself and shortchanging the community,” he said.

He told commission members what they could expect from the new store.

“I would never want to do a project that is controversial, I don’t have the time or the money,” he said. “My goal in all of this is to have a place where people can go in and shop, feel comfortable, feel like it’s their place and save money. Above all I’m very into the local economy so it would be a place where you can buy local produce, even meat, eggs, jams and jellies. The main goal is to make the community work and make money at the same time.”

A contingent of Tisbury Farm Market and Vineyard Grocer supporters appeared at the commission to speak in favor of the project, and an even larger number from the community wrote to voice their support.

“I’m really happy to hear about this project,” said Donald Cronig. “I’ve known Elio for some time; I’ve shopped at his store. I find Elio very community-oriented. He wants this project for himself but he also has really considered the rest of us. For the kind of products Elio has been providing, the prices for the food have been very fair and that’s what I’d like to see increased on the Vineyard.”

Vineyard Haven resident and farmer Heidi Feldman said she welcomed the prospect of having another outlet to bring her products to the market, while Martha’s Vineyard Brazilian Association president Edivalda Santana praised Mr. Silva’s work in the Brazilian community.

The plan was greeted warmly by town boards as well, whose members said the project squares well with their vision of smart growth in the area.

“The consensus of the board is very positive,” said Henry Stephenson of the Tisbury planning board. “We like the direction this is going. It’s very consistent with the plans that the town has had for this area and also the policies of the Island Plan, which we also support.”

“We like what we see from a highway standpoint,” said Tisbury department of public works head Fred LaPiana. Mr. LaPiana thanked Mr. Silva for offering to donate a 10-foot strip of land on the property for a turning lane for the possible construction of a connector road to the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.

The hearing took a quick turn, however, when Mr. Silva informed the normally deliberative commission that he needed to close on the property within days due to agreements with the seller and the bank.

“If it doesn’t go through tonight there’s a 99 per cent chance I’m not going to go through with it,” he said.

“Elio, you have to understand it can’t be done that quickly,” Mr. Sederholm replied.

The commission adjusted their schedule to accommodate the project, pushing the land use planning committee to consider the matter on Monday. They met again last night to vote on the project as a development of regional impact; the vote had not been completed by press time. The main concerns centered on parking, which Mr. Silva initially said would require cutting down nine of 13 trees on the street front to meet zoning board requirements.

“Where’s he going to put additional parking spaces?” asked commission member Linda Sibley.

“He may have to take down a tree; that will make you cry,” responded Doug Sederholm.

“There isn’t a tree to be taken down,” Mrs. Sibley replied.

“I don’t see how that parking works, I’ll be honest with you,” commissioner Leonard Jason Jr. said. “Maybe the ZBA’s got a better idea and I’m willing to put it in the hands of the Tisbury ZBA so we can get over this hurdle.”

Over the weekend Mr. Silva worked with Mr. Stephenson to revise his parking plan so that only one mature tree would be cut down. On Monday, the land use planning committee voted unanimously to recommend approval.