Walking down Market Street yesterday morning I noticed two-by-fours erected into a wall in front of the soon-to-be CVS Pharmacy space at the Market and Noe Center (2278-2280 Market Street). Construction workers are gutting the inside of the building that, in the recent past, hosted a hodgepodge of neighborhood businesses and events including Hero Underwear Shop and the Faetopia Queer Arts and Community Center that happened during Pride.

As we reported previously, the CVS location passed muster of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association and the SF Planning Commission back in May to the confusion of many. CVS is considered formula retail which is a no-no to many neighborhood associations, but was given a pass by the Planning Commission and by the DTNA who negotiated certain changes to the scope of the business from the original CVS proposal including:

• Limiting store and delivery hours.
• Restraint of all deliveries from the residential (Noe St.) side of the complex.
• Not to sell alcohol.
• Roof parking lot will be open for all accompanying neighbor stores to have access to.
• Redesign of the stores interior so front facing windows aren’t used like Walgreens on Market and Castro Streets displaying wares like a 99 Cent Store.
• Signage will be a unique design and less obtrusive. The plan had called for a large, almost billboard sized sign-now-it will be a backlit smaller sign.

The SF Planning Commission states CVS would, “provide an additional choice of pharmacy and basic everyday needs goods for neighborhood residents, resulting in prices that are more competitive and a greater availability of goods and services.” The permit for reserved street space during construction that is posted just beyond the 2x4s on the buildings facade is good for up to four months. Perhaps we'll see a completed CVS store by the beginning of March 2014?