WORCESTER ― Plans that call for an 897-car auction site on undeveloped land off Route 20 will now appear in front of the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 10 at the request of developer CarMax Auto Superstores, according to a statement by District 3 City Councilor George Russell.
Originally due to appear in front of the board on Monday, the project has drawn criticism from local officials with concerns about traffic, among other issues.
The proposal by CarMax Auto Superstores, a company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, includes construction of a 7,125-square-foot auction building, a 125-space parking lot for employees and public use, and a display lot covering about 255,000 square feet.
According to plans, the site is expected to hold up to two indoor auctions per week, each of which could auction off 500 vehicles.
When they appear in front of the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 10, the applicants will be requesting special permits that would pave the way to request further approvals.
In a letter released Monday, Russell and state Rep. Daniel Donahue, D-Worcester, encouraged the public to attend the meeting and share concerns.
“This project can be catastrophic for this section of the city,” Russell said in a press release.
The property where CarMax wants to build is a mostly wooded 30-acre lot near the end of Eskow Road, a side road off Route 20, just south of Grafton Street.
The property is owned by Joseph Amorello of A.F. Amorello and Sons Inc., a Worcester construction company.
If constructed, it would be CarMax’s third auction location in the state. It also operates a location along Route 9 in Westborough and another in Norwood, according to the company website.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Hearing on CarMax auction site in Worcester postponed to Feb. 10