Construction work for the new CVS Pharmacy should start by the end of the year, pending the finalization of bids and obtaining building permits.
The CVS will be located on Spring Avenue and Fifth Street, where the closed St. Agatha Catholic Church is now. In addition to St. Agatha, nine other properties will be removed as the pharmacy will extend beyond Locust Way.
In July, borough council passed ordinances that consolidated the nine additional properties that would be consumed by the CVS Pharmacy and vacated a portion of Locust Way.
According to CVS sources, demolition should begin by December and the store will be operational by late summer of 2016.
However, the pharmacy is still in the process of accepting contracting bids and, for reasons undetermined, has yet to obtain a building permit, according to the Ellwood City Borough.
The Ellwood area will not have two CVS stores. According to the local store manager, the Franklin Plaza CVS on Route 288 is scheduled to cease operations and relocate to Fifth and Spring by fall of 2016.
There have also been indications that the stone and many other items from St. Agatha will be removed. Thus, the church may be mostly deconstructed as opposed to demolished.
