Walgreens Wants Nyack

Nyack, Jan 5 — The old Hilltop Restaurant property at 312 Main Street is about to have a new owner/occupant. Last night the Planning Board considered an application for a preliminary site plan evaluation for Walgreens, a national drugstore chain with 7,000 locations.

Access to the property will be from NYS Route 59 (eastbound only) and North Highland Avenue near the new Provident Bank location across from Catherine Street. The new building will include a drive through pharmacy window.

Walgreens has assembled a site from several parcels including the Hilltop Restaurant and Moger’s Auto Repair on North Highland.  There is one tiny parcel on the corner of Main and North Highland that is not part of the assembly.

The Hilltop Restaurant, a Nyack family owned business, closed in 2005 after 58 years. It’s signature dish was the “Lobster Dellafano,” a baked 1¼-pound whole lobster stuffed with a breadcrumb / mushroom herb stuffing topped off with six whole shrimp sauteed with fresh mushroom in a butter and garlic.

Walgreen’s plans to raze the existing buildings to accommodate the new store. They hope to share the new curb cut with Provident Bank on North Highland and are working with the bank to create 66 parking spots, improved circulation and more greenery.

The Planning Board expressed concerns about traffic access and congestion in and around the proposed entrances and the developer has agreed to do a traffic study.

Chairman Peter Klose and member Peter Voletsky urged the applicant to abandon the typical ‘€œbox store’€ construction in favor of environmentally friendly construction in and around the site.

Photo Credit: Flickr from SeanJonesFoto