Helen Maccrone has lived near Wildes Corner for 60 years.

She remembers when Dave Cesario opened his fruit stand on West Shore Road in 1969.

The stand was affectionately known as “the shack.” Maccrone remembers the dirt floor, the lights with the pull chain and the cash register with the crank on the side. She would take a short cut through backyards to get there without having to walk along West Shore Road. It was easy and convenient.

Now, Dave’s Marketplace, with 10 stores statewide, will be coming back to her side of the road, not all that far from where it all started.

“This will be great. I’m looking forward to it,” Maccrone said Monday evening after looking at the plans and listening to a presentation by representatives from the Carpionato Group for the West Shore Road Dave’s to relocate to the much larger former Benny’s site a short distance away.

Ever since the Benny’s locations were acquired by Carpionato, the move has been talked about, so it’s no surprise that the companies are getting down to business.

What hadn’t been disclosed until the neighborhood informational meeting at the Warwick Public Library is Carpionato’s overall $16 million plan for the Benny’s property, which calls for another traffic signal on West Shore Road, a 6,500-square foot retail building next to the market and new buildings on West Shore Road, including a restaurant, bank and retail outlet.

To do it, Carpionato has acquired the former Back Stop – which will be demolished – and a portion of Frank Paolino’s property, but not O’Reilly Auto Parts or Dollar General. The arrangement calls for an easement that will enable access to the site from Paolino’s property.

Plans for the development were mounted on easels and spread across tabletops for business and residential neighbors to see. But there was more to the meeting than displays of the proposed development. There was discourse, and Kelly Coates, president of Carpionato, and Bob Fabiano, Dave’s director of store development, answered questions and came up with on-the-spot solutions to possible issues.

Plans for master plan approval have been filed with the city, and a Planning Board hearing could be held as soon as next month. The next step would be City Council action on Carpionato’s request for a zone change from residential to open space for about a third of the 26-acre site.

The proposed traffic signal that would be synchronized with the Wildes Corner lights required Department of Transportation approval, and a reconfiguration of parking for a total of 319 spaces requires Department of Environmental Management approval.

Coates said Tuesday the purpose of the open space designation is to assure neighbors that Carpionato has “no intention of building housing or apartments back there.”

“Why not call it what it is?” he said.

In response to potential impacts, Coates said parking lot lighting would be shielded from neighbors, and there would be landscaping and an 8-foot cedar fence. He agreed to sidewalks to allow for pedestrian traffic within the site. When concerns were raised over speeding within the traffic pattern of the development, Coates got out a marker and drew in a speed bump, to the satisfaction of Ward 6 Councilwoman Donna Travis.

Travis pointed out that as it is private property, speed bumps could be installed, whereas if it were city property there would be liability and maintenance (plowing) issues. Fabiano said that speed bumps enabled Dave’s to reduce speeding at the back of the Hoxsie store, although one motorist protested when he lost the under carriage of his car. A check of videos of the area found the driver was doing 50 mph, Fabiano said.

Coates addressed concerns over the location of a dumpster, delivery times, hours of operation and odors from discarded produce and food.

He assured Dave’s would be on top of its operations.

“It’s a first-class operation and we’re proud to be affiliated with Dave’s,” he said.

As for the proposed landscaping, Damian McNamara, a 17-year resident of the area, questioned what species of tress and shrubs would be planned.

Coates didn’t have specifics, asking what McNamara would suggest.

“Japanese maples,” McNamara said. To McNamara’s surprise, Coates responded that he thought that would be fine.

“This is old hat for us,” Coates said of landscaping, “making a project look beautiful.”

Asked after the meeting what he thought of the development, McNamara still had reservations about a back entrance to the site.

“I have mixed feelings,” he said. “I’m happy they’re offering to help with the landscaping.”

Other residents living on Spring Green favored the rear entrance to the site, as they would be able to access the market without having to drive on West Shore Road. Coates said the rear entrance was included at Dave’s request and their concern for their customers.

When might a new and bigger Dave’s open at Wildes Corner?

“When we finish,” Fabiano said.

Work was proceeding on the interior of the building Tuesday, with electricians installing wiring prior to a repainting of the interior. The store will include a kitchen and be at least twice the size of the building it will replace.

As for the future of the current West Shore Road store, Fabiano said, “We haven’t figured that out yet.”

Mayor Joseph Solomon welcomed the redevelopment of the area.

“Dave Cesario has been a part of this community since he started in his produce stand not even a block away from that location. To have a hardworking, successful businessman such as him invest in the area that he started out at shows me that he not only takes pride in servicing the city of Warwick, but he takes pride in benefiting the community with his products and presence,” he said.