Costco clears final hurdle with Pittsfield Township Planning Commission's approval of site plan
A new Costco store will be built at the site of industrial park buildings north and west of the corner of Ellsworth and South State roads.
File photo | AnnArbor.com
The commission approved the plans with the understanding that minor issues relating to the property's lighting and several other small items would be addressed.
A recharging station for electric cars was omitted from the final site plan, but the commission urged Costco to consider putting it in to benefit both the community and the store.
Costco will redevelop 17 acres along Ellsworth west of South State. The chain plans to build a 148,000-square-foot store with 720 parking spaces and a gasoline station.
Officials say the store could be open by summer 2012.
The Township Board of Trustees approved a rezoning request for the store on July 27 and had to revise the township's master plan to do so.
Local developer Jake Haas owns the property where the Costco will be built. To make room for the warehouse, several industrial park buildings will be demolished and tenants relocated.
Plans for the store were first proposed in April 2010. Before finding the site in Pittsfield Township, Costco pulled out of a deal to build its first Washtenaw County location in Scio Township in 2006.
Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
hermhawk
Sun, Aug 7, 2011 : 10:04 a.m.
Way to go Pittsfield Township. Scio Township's loss was your gain. I will be at Costco the day it opens. I've gone to the stores in Livonia and my brother is a member and goes one near him in Oakland County. Now I can save the gas mileage.
Walter
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 3:44 p.m.
Kudos to Costco and Pittsfield. I'm looking forward to the opening.
TLBeadle
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 1:17 p.m.
The PTPC clears the way for a gazillion square foot warehouse of consumerism (when we can't keep the locally owned stores we have open for lack of support), yet rejects plans for a school???? The priorities of our culture truly frighten and sadden me
A2comments
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
As someone who has shopped at several area Walmarts and at Costco, the clientele at a Costco is very clearly more upscale than the clientele at a Walmart, including stores located within a mile of each other. Employees are also much better at Costco. Further, Costco takes care of its stores. Walmart stores quickly go downhill.
Basic Bob
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
Yes, but it diverts business from the dread Saline Walmart. The Harvest PTA, I mean Pittsfield BOT, won't be happy until Walmart is turned back into a vacant lot. It attracts the wrong class of people.
Roger Roth
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.
You'll get used to it. :-)
Evergreen
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 11:29 a.m.
So what took SO LONG to post the results of the meeting conducted on Thursday around noon? 27 hours to do a story? The story about the school which was the agenda item just before Costco was on line by 6AM or so on Friday? You followed this story for almost a year and then don't report the decision is final? Many jobs and tax dollars are effected by this decision you did not see as urgent...
A2comments
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 11:28 a.m.
Prior articles said open in Spring, now it's Summer? I've always heard that Costco can build and open in 99 days. A recharging station did not make sense, how much demand is there and how much charge would a vehicle get in 45 min of shopping? In a downtown area or at a mall like Briarwood maybe, because the vehicle could sit for a longer time.
Ruth Woodcock
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 12:10 a.m.
So where is a map/picture of site plan so we can see it?
CommonThought
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 2:26 a.m.
Proposed Area Plan - <a href="http://www.pittsfield-mi.gov/costco-rz-10-01-area-plan-4-14-2011.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.pittsfield-mi.gov/costco-rz-10-01-area-plan-4-14-2011.pdf</a> Proposed Elevations/Design <a href="http://www.pittsfield-mi.gov/costco-rz-10-01-elevations-3-30-2011.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.pittsfield-mi.gov/costco-rz-10-01-elevations-3-30-2011.pdf</a>
81wolverine
Fri, Aug 5, 2011 : 10:38 p.m.
I'm looking forward to Costco. They're a well-managed company that treats their employees well (unlike another large retail chain headquartered in Arkansas), and offers a lot of great values to consumers. It should really boost the retail business in that area which is close to I-94 and Briarwood.
Bogie
Fri, Aug 5, 2011 : 9:46 p.m.
Yes, I only have one request. Could they put a gas pump in a few parking spots? My old truck needs a charge too. It would be beneficial to me, and I am part of the community.
Halter
Fri, Aug 5, 2011 : 9:39 p.m.
Finally -- been waiting for this to open for YEARS ever since Ann Arbor blew their chances of acquiring it up on Zeeb Road...Way to go Pittsfield, can't wait for this to be opened. As to the "Big Box" argument above....well, your ship sailed about 15 years ago....
Brad
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 12:31 p.m.
Not Ann Arbor - it was Scio Twp.
amazonwarrior
Fri, Aug 5, 2011 : 8:34 p.m.
YES!!! About dang time.