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Whole Foods to neighbors: Drive on over

By Ariella Cohen
The Brooklyn Paper

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Whole Foods’ corporate machine beat back a neighborhood green dream team this week, denying a petition from a civic group to shrink its parking lots and put an earth-friendly solar roof on its super-store, now under construction on Third Avenue at Third Street.

The Park Slope Neighbors petition asked the grocer to cut 100 of its planned 420 parking spaces, a move that the group believed would discourage driving and reduce traffic. The group also wants Whole Foods to provide a jitney service to take shoppers from the store to nearby subway and bus stops.

“We think a Whole Foods Market would be a great addition to the neighborhood, but it’s disappointing that they appear intent on implementing a suburban-style [transportation] plan,” said Eric McClure, who sent the 500-signature petition to the chain’s Austin headquarters.

The organic giant has yet to respond to McClure’s group, but told The Stoop that it could not meet the group’s demands.

“We are confident that our parking plan, as currently designed, features the appropriate number of spaces,” said spokesman Fred Shank.

He noted that the company considered topping the Third Avenue store with a green roof, a feature it used on other locations, but eventually determined that it “simply would not be feasible.”

The rejection of the PSN petition, while not shocking, has put a damper on the budding romance between the environmentally conscious neighborhood and the progressive grocery chain that has set out to sell it bok choy and lacinato kale.

“Brooklyn certainly deserves what other cities and towns are getting,” a disappointed McClure said this week. “It’s terrific that [Whole Foods] wants to come here. We just want them to give us the same things that they give other markets.”

McClure added that he would continue shopping at the Park Slope Food Coop, no matter how perfect the banana-and-flaxseed smoothies are at the new mega-store.

©2007 The Brooklyn Paper

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