A Clifton Park developer wants to redevelop the strip mall that once housed the Grand Union supermarket and more recently was home to the Off Broadway Theatre & Grille.
DCG Development wants to demolish Congress Plaza at 46 Congress St. except for the standalone CVS Pharmacy and construct four buildings plus two parking garages.
The mixed-use buildings all would have retail space on their first floors and residential apartments above. They would stand between four and six stories each, according to a conceptual plan filed with the city.
The city Planning Board will view and discuss a sketch of the site plan for the first time at its meeting tonight.
Donald MacElroy of DCG Development said it’s too early to say how soon the company would be able to redevelop the property since the Planning Board will get its first look at the conceptual proposal tonight.
Positioned at a high point west of Broadway, Congress Plaza lies within view of three similar mixed-use projects that were built recently on the site of older buildings — Railroad Place, Congress Park Centre and Park Place.
Most storefronts in the shopping center are currently occupied, except for the anchor, the former Off Broadway Theatre & Grille, which closed several years ago.
Congress Plaza houses 15 stores, including a Hallmark, Citizens Bank, Friendly’s, The Posie Peddler, Purdy’s Discount Wine and Liquor, a Chinese restaurant, nail and hair salons, a dry cleaner and a laundromat.
MacElroy said the company would like to keep its existing tenants where possible.
“The project would be phased in such a manner that we certainly would look to retain the tenants we have,” MacElroy said.
DCG proposes creating a new entrance to the 7.23-acre property off South Federal Street south of the retail buildings. A private street would run through the property and connect to the current entrance on Congress Street.
The southern part of that street would have parallel parking and wide sidewalks with storefronts lining the street, according to the plans.
On Congress Street, new five- to six-story buildings would line the street, including a bridge extending over the plaza entrance.
In addition to Congress Plaza, DCG Development owns the office building next door at 92 Congress St. and previously developed apartments south of the Congress Plaza property.
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