Is CVS Turning Its Back On A Sacramento Neighborhood?
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A new backwards building plan is causing a neighborhood business district, as a CVS Pharmacy is being built with no front door facing the street.
Marti Brown is fired up after the city of Sacramento is allowing the pharmacy to be built on the run-down corner of Sutterville and Franklin backwards. There will be no front doors on the sidewalk.
"It's basically turned its back on the district," the head of the Franklin Business District said. "I cannot imagine a situation in Land Park, in East Sacramento, Curtis Park where this type of project would be approved."
The plans meet new city regulations that require buildings be closer to sidewalks, only in this case, the back of the building is on the sidewalk, while the entrance is around the corner.
"If everybody did that, if everybody on this commercial corridor did that, I wouldn't have a commercial corridor on this street, would I?" she said.
A city design director reported, "The design, layout, and physical characteristics of the proposed development are visually and functionally compatible with the surrounding neighborhood."
Jansson Stout lives across the street, and he'll see the back of the building every time he walks out his front door.
"I'm going to take a wait and see approach I guess," Stout said. "If the construction is good and its a nice looking building the orientation doesn't bother me too much."
But Brown isn't as understanding, saying the pharmacy gives her business district a black eye.
"I have a business that's not going to have an entrance and that's not gonna show us its face," she said.