Two Mondays ago the Portuguese American Center was occupied with 25 concerned residents and about half a dozen concerned business people on hand to discuss a proposed CVS on Jericho Turnpike between Andrews and Emory Roads.

Representatives from Berkshire Acquisition Corporation and CVS took to the center's dance floor with a show of their own, hoping to prove to the residents, and themselves, that the location they so desired for their CVS would be equally desirable to the residents and their potential customers.

Timothy Traynor, senior vice president of Development and Construction for Berkshire Acquisition Corporation, explained that the interest in this particular site in Mineola came after pin studies, studies of customers and their habits, showed that there were few Mineola residents using the other area CVS stores.

Though there are several CVS stores in the area (one on Hillside Avenue in Williston Park and one on East Jericho Turnpike), Traynor reasoned that population density would provide enough customers to create a successful store at the Reese site.

The Reese property is about 1.2 acres all owned by one party which makes the property desirable to developers because it is big enough to house a store and it is more convenient to deal with one owner. Also it is as far away from the other CVS stores as possible, yet still in the desired neighborhood.

Traynor said there are three possible locations for the CVS on that piece of property. The CVS could be moved to the back of the property, to the front of the property or placed sideways.

The location of the site is immediately adjacent to residential homes and therefore Berkshire and CVS sent out five letters to residents, to discuss the proposal of a CVS in their neighborhood. However, the limited number of letters prompted some to question if this was "CVS-pionage" at work.

Traynor explained that the meeting was not clandestine, it was in fact open to everyone. He said five letters sent were to notify the abutters and the meeting was to address their concerns first.

Vocal Mineola residents disagreed that the effect of such a store would only ripple out five houses and adamantly demanded their inclusion. Two residents sent out 100 letters each informing other village residents about the meeting.

Traynor and his associates did in fact listen and were commended by one of the residents for involving the residents in the process at all.

Traynor added it is important for developers, like himself, to be up front and honest with the residents of an area in which they hope to develop, in this case, a CVS.

Attorney Thomas Pantelis who has appeared before the Village of Mineola Board of Trustees on numerous occasions representing applications for special permits, said, "It is always advisable to meet before a community before you go to the board."

From this particular meeting Traynor and his team took away valuable information about traffic, area schools and the likelihood that small children would be in the area of the business.

One of the major concerns expressed by the residents in attendance was truck traffic on the residential streets, which Traynor agreed is unacceptable. The trucks would be scheduled to deliver inventory to the CVS once a week.

Traynor said that after the meeting he and his engineer went over the available information and searched for a viable solutions including the possibility of only letting the trucks enter on Andrews and leave on Emory.

Another noticeable obstacle for the proposed CVS was what was referred to as a drive through pharmacy. Traynor said he prefers to use the term "prescription pick-up" as opposed to drive through pharmacy, because picking up prescriptions is all one can do at that window.

In reference to the resistance expressed at the inclusion of this feature in the plans, which those in opposition feel will attract traffic, Traynor said that it still has to be proved to the residents, the village and himself that this feature would be a good idea.

After the meeting Traynor and his engineers discussed some other suggestions such as the location of the entrance and exit drive aisles and their effect on the residential side streets as well as the improvement of the buffer zone so the potential CVS neighbors are not inconvenienced by the store's lights.

Traynor hopes additional information for which it will take five to six weeks to prepare the necessary materials, will provide a better picture of the proposal and more community support. All those who attended the first meeting and a list of suggested residents will be invited to the second meeting.

"If it appears unfeasible as far as traffic issues, etc, we will withdraw the concept," said Traynor.

If it does appear feasible, dependent on how people feel, and a possible third meeting, Berkshire and CVS will decide upon a proposal. It might be as late as the fall before they formally apply to the village.

"All in all I do not think it was a negative meeting," commented Pantelis. In a sense it was a successful meeting as it created discussion among the residents and included them in the future development of Mineola.