The plans to bring a Whole Foods grocery store to Amherst are finally moving forward.
7 EWN Anchor Jeff Russo has learned that a building permit for the project is expected to be formally issued by Amherst officials on Friday. The permit will give WS Development the green light to move ahead with construction on the store at the Northtown Plaza.
At this point there is no firm schedule for construction but Amherst officials expect it to begin "soon".
Andrew Manning, the project manager for WS Development, tells 7EWN that his company is finalizing construction details but wouldn't comment further on any scheduled start for work on the $6 million store.
Once construction begins it is expected that construction on the shell of the building will take up to six months. Whole Foods would then take over the project where it's expected that another 9-11 months will be needed to complete the interior of the building.
The original hope was that construction would begin last fall but the work schedule was shifted to avoid potential winter weather.
