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BY MECHELE COOPER
Staff Writer 07/23/2008

Staff Writer

R.H. Foster Energy of Bangor is looking to build five convenience stores around the state, including one in Randolph and one in Augusta.

In Augusta, the company has submitted a preliminary application seeking a major-development permit from the city to build a 6,000-square-foot convenience store, with a bank branch inside, 12 fueling pumps, two large-truck diesel pumps and a two-bay car wash, on the northeast corner of the intersection of Eastern Avenue, also known as Route 17, and Cony Road.

Susan Redmond, assistant planner for the city of Augusta, said at the time the city received the application, R.H. Foster had entered a purchase-and-sale agreement with property owners Donald and Theresa Rodrigue.

The project is located in the Regional Business District.

"They applied for major development approval," Redmond said. "They submitted a preliminary review application and had their first public hearing. At this point, they have not submitted an application for final review. Once they do that, we would review it, and provided it was sufficiently completed, schedule it for another public hearing before the Planning Board."

The Randolph store would have four twin pumps and be located on the corner of Water and Windsor streets. The plan calls for the store to be placed where a three-story building -- an old movie theater -- used to be and for the pumps to be located on the Windsor Street side.

Property acquisitions were done in June.

Bids will go out later this year so contractors can be ready to start building early 2009, said Peter Coughlan, chairman of the Randolph Planning Board.

"They have purchased the big gray building and a single-family home behind it and got another store in Augusta they're going to build, too," Coughlan said. "They'll put out the bid as one bid in the fall and award it as a giant contract for the two stores. They've gotten approval from the Planning Board and I believe all their permits from the state."

The site is in the General Development District.

The Planning Board voted unanimously to approve a permit for the project. Because it is located in a downtown commercial district, it also requires a Conditional Use Permit to deal with buffering and screening, erosion and sediment control, noise and lighting.

Robert Tracy, R.H. Foster's executive vice president, did not return calls for comment.

R.H. Foster also wants stores in Hermon, Old Town and Lincoln.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, Ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com

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