Rexall will open its first New Westminster store at the former Blockbuster Video store site.
New Westminster city council recently approved a development permit that will allow construction of a two-storey commercial building to be built at 700 Sixth St.
Jim Hurst, a development planner with the City of New Westminster, said Rexall's new building will include an escalator. He said that's a sign that the city is "growing up a bit" as most retail in the area is on the ground level and the second level is filled with medical offices.
The former BlockBuster store has been demolished and the site is currently being prepared for redevelopment.
"They would like to go very quickly," Hurst said. "Hence the hole in the ground."
The building will have 10,226 square feet of floor space and include 13 parking spaces under the building and three parking spaces at ground level. A staff report noted that the applicant is also proposing to provide a co-operative car and a dedicated co-operative vehicle parking space for the car as part of the project's parking requirements.
A building permit has to be issued before construction of the two-storey building can begin at the site.
