BY LIZ WITBECK
As the national chain Dollar General expands
across the country, the corporation plans to build
an additional distribution center in the northeastern
United States and one of the locations being
considered is in Wilton.
The distribution center would be built off Ballard
Road, in a complex that currently contains
distribution centers for both Ace Hardware and
Target. There would be two sites, approximately
70 acres and 20 acres each.
The project is expected to create 420 jobs, according
to the company.
Dollar General is experiencing immense
growth and plans to open 900 new stores in 2016,
company officials said. They recently opened
several new stores in Maine and Rhode Island,
as well as in Upstate New York area.
A proposed $92.4 million distribution center
would supply merchandise to 1,000 stores
throughout the northeast, according to the
company. Plans filed with the town call for one
industrial Warehouse of about 855,161 square
feet on 93.29 acres.
"The closest distribution center is in Bethel,
Pennsylvania," said Crystal Ghassemi, a spokeswoman
for the company. "We want to make sure
there is another distribution center nearby."
Adding another distribution center will help
make shipping items to regional stores much
more efficient, she said.
The company is reviewing potential sites.
"We're looking at Wilton as one of many places
for a distribution center to help better serve our
northeastern communities," said Ghassemi.
"Wilton is close to the interstate, which of course
makes it easy for our distribution purposes."
It is not known when a decision will be reached.
"There's no set timetable," said Ghassemi.
"We'll take the time to look everything over and
do what is necessary to make the right decision
for the company."
Art Johnson, Wilton town supervisor, said he
is excited about the project's potential.
"Anytime a business locates here and brings in
new jobs, I think it's a good thing," said Johnson.
"When the Mount McGregor prison closed, we
lost a lot of jobs. So we would be getting those
back."
Johnson said the facility would also create
more tax revenue, and employees would spend
more money in the town of Wilton, which are
both economic benefits.
"[The center] may jump-start some of the other
sites that are here already," said Johnson.
The company signed an option to buy the
Wilton property for $6.53 million from Parillo
Prime Properties LLC in Gansevoort.