The Martha’s Vineyard Commission has approved the expansion of Vineyard entrepreneur Elio Silva’s new grocery store planned for State Road.
Last year the commission approved Mr. Silva’s plans to consolidate his two businesses, Vineyard Grocer and Tisbury Farm Market, at the location that most recently housed Island Home Furnishings. There are two buildings on the property and Mr. Silva had planned to demolish and rebuild the front building, expanding the footprint of the complex from 5,800 to 7,400 square feet.
On Thursday the commission approved Mr. Silva’s new plans for the site, which include demolishing the concrete block building in the back and rebuilding it with wraparound porch, as well as a basement and second floor that will be used for storage. The second floor of the new front building will also house four new affordable housing units. The new plan will bring the complex’s footprint to 11,120 square feet.
For comparison, Cronig’s Supermarket, Mr. Silva’s cross-street competitor, has a 22,517 square foot footprint.
To some commissioners the expansion was an overreach on an already crowded lot.
“We were all very sympathetic to the original proposal,” said commissioner Fred Hancock. “But now all of a sudden everything has jumped to its maximum size. It’s overbuilding for this lot.”
But commissioner Doug Sederholm noted that the business corridor was designed to grow to prevent sprawl.
“I just can’t get that exercised about the addition of a second floor in this neighborhood,” he said.
The commission approved the expansion seven to two with commissioners Christina Brown, Peter Cabana, Chris Murphy, Katherine Newman, Ned Orleans, Mr. Sederholm and Brian Smith voting in favor and John Breckenridge and Mr. Hancock voting against.
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