There is finally something to see at the location of the incoming Market Basket in Penacook. Construction has begun on the buildings off of Exit 17 of 1-93 in Concord that will house a long-awaited supermarket and a NH Liquor and Wine outlet. The liquor store should be open for business in early 2022, and the customers will be able to shop at the new Market Basket a few months later.

The liquor store building now has walls and the Market Basket store has a foundation, according to a report from Director of Redevelopment and Special Projects Matt Walsh to the City Council. Construction on the liquor store is expected to be completed by the end of December, Walsh said. The Market Basket will likely go up in spring or summer of next year and will open in the fall of 2022.

The new shopping center, which will include an 80,000-square-foot Market Basket grocery store, a 20,000-square foot yet-to-be-announced retail tenant and a 13,500-square-foot NH Liquor Commission outlet, is being built as a public-private partnership with the city of Concord. According to the agreement with Canterbury developers Laurie and David Rauseo approved by the City Council in May, there are plans for condos, additional retail stores and an urgent care and dental office in the next phase of the project.

The city’s agreement with the Rauseos’ company, Interchange Development, includes the construction of two roundabouts, the larger one located the intersection of Route 4 and Whitney Road, and changes to the 1-93 southbound ramp at Exit 17. Interchange will contribute $575,314 for the road improvements located in Canterbury, and Concord will pay for the $4.3 million of its share by expanding the Penacook TIF District.

The City has selected Pembroke construction firm F.L. Merrill, which submitted the lowest bid of $3.79 million, to complete the road improvements.

“We’ve used them before,” Walsh said. “They’ve done a great job for us.”

Work is expected to begin in late July, after F.L. Merrill completes some administrative steps, including receiving permits from the NH Department of Transportation and NH Department of Environmental Services. The roundabout is set to be operating for car traffic by mid-December.

At a July 12 meeting, the City Council approved minor changes to the development agreement, including providing an easement for a public bus stop on the property to Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, Inc, placing responsibility for winter sidewalk maintenance and landscaping with the forthcoming condominium owner and clarifying that Interchange will install an irrigation system at the Whitney Road roundabout although the city will pay for a water line.

Readers can get updates on the construction on the Supermarket at Exit 17 Facebook page.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the Exit 17 Market basket is scheduled to open in 2022. This information was incorrect in an earlier version. 

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