North Providence resident Mark Ballou, who lives a quarter-mile from the proposed Lowe’s site, expresses his concerns about traffic and noise that the store might bring.

The Providence Journal / Ruben W. Perez

NORTH PROVIDENCE — Plans by Lowe’s Home Improvement to open a store on the 10-acre site that had been home to Rizzo Ford at Mineral Spring and Douglas avenues got its first public airing last night before a standing room crowd of more than 200 people at the Dillon Council, Knights of Columbus hall.

As expected, concerns about the project’s impact on what is already one of the busiest intersections in the state dominated the informational session. But there were also concerns about the effect on property values and the possible effect on traffic patterns on nearby streets.

But it was not an angry meeting.

“I think people came looking for information,” Mayor Charles Lombardi said afterward. “I believe now that [the representatives from Lowe’s] will be taking people’s concerns to see if they can address them. One of the things we’d like to see them do is expand their traffic study to include the side streets.”

In all, Lowe’s wants to build a store that would feature 102,000 square feet of retail space — somewhat smaller than most of its other New England stores. It would actually be closer to 153,000 square feet when the nursery and garden center and storage area are added in.

Zack Darrow, the company’s attorney, said that, based on current tax rates, the company is expecting to pay $300,000 in property taxes to the town, up from the $95,000 the town was getting from the auto dealership. Once opened, it would employ 125 to 150 people. Three-quarters would be full time with full health and fringe benefits; there would be 40 to 50 contract installers.

On the concern about traffic, both Darrow and traffic engineer Paul Bannon said Lowe’s has come up with a plan that should make the ride through the intersection easier all around. With 11.5 acres under its “control,” the company is prepared to cede 1.5 acres to the state to allow the Department of Transportation to add additional traffic lanes on both avenues, and to reduce the number of curb cuts on the property from six to two.

Under the plan, visitors to Lowe’s would be able to enter the property at an entrance on Mineral Spring and another on Douglas. Exits on the Mineral Spring Avenue side would only be for traffic to turn right toward Centredale.

Those going left toward Pawtucket would have to exit via Douglas Avenue. Because of the additional turning lane that would be provided, cars would be able to turn left toward Smithfield or south toward Mineral Spring Avenue without impeding the flow of other traffic.

The entire cost of building the additional lanes and any traffic signals that might be needed in the future would be borne by Lowe’s, with no cost either to the state or the town, said Darrow.

According to company officials, the store would expect to generate 274 cars entering the parking lot each hour during its Saturday peak hours, and a similar number going out. That, they said, would be far less than the 424 vehicles per hour that would enter the same location if the property became home to a grocery store, a pharmacy and a restaurant — all of which could be built at the location now.

None of that seemed to impress Wenscott Lane resident Joseph Lombardi (no relation to the mayor) or Michael Vanasse of Fitzhugh Street. Both predicted that residents barred from making a left onto Mineral Spring Avenue would try to find a way to get around that by using one of the side streets up the road to make their turn around.

“Most of us can’t get out of our driveway now,” said Vanasse. “I invite you come to my house for some coffee and see what happens.”

“What about all the construction, and the delivery trucks?” asked Joanne Wood of Locust Street. “I don’t see how you are going to make it any better.”

But officials assured residents that under company policy, all deliveries to the store would have to be during working hours. And the building would be constructed in such a way — through a process of backing and filling — that there would be a 40-foot drop between Rockwell Street and the rear of the building. Because of that drop, which would be hidden by a fence and new landscaping, the roof of the building would actually be below eye level for those looking from Rockwell. Presumably, the added distance would serve as a sound buffer.

“I’m not really concerned about traffic, but I am concerned about property values,” another man said. “Can you tell me that the value of my property is not going to go down?”

Jeff Gellerman, Lowe’s senior real estate manager for New England, said the answer to that was complex, and that he couldn’t provide an immediate answer without looking at the particular property. Joyce Taglione, who lives on Rockwell Street, and who has four neighbors who have signed purchase-and-sales agreements to sell their property to Lowe’s (as part of the plan to create a buffer) said she had no doubt in her mind “the value of my property is going to go down.”

At the same time, a number of people said they liked what they heard. Joseph Leylegian, who lives on Lee’s plat and has to deal each day with traffic on Douglas Avenue, said that if the project can help to reduce the traffic tie-ups on Douglas, as the company contends, “I’m for it.”

The project is still at the earliest stages of getting town approval and has yet to go before the Planning Board. Once final permits were issued — and no one was saying how long it would take — it would take another 18 months to demolish the existing buildings, prepare the site and build the store.

Mayor Lombardi said he expects to invite the public to another informational meeting at the same place, at the Dillon Council K of C, at 7 p.m. on Aug. 30, at which time some of the remaining questions of residents will be answered.

rdujardi@projo.com