walmart sign.jpg

Walmart sign at store in La Habra, Calif. The company has halted to open a "supercenter" in Holyoke.

((AP Photo/Jae C. Hong))

HOLYOKE -- Walmart has halted plans for a Supercenter store on Whiting Farms Road due to environmental concerns.

Walmart spokesman Bill Wertz couldn't say Wednesday exactly what the contaminants were, but only that further testing would have delayed the project past the time frame stipulated in the purchase agreement with current landowner Holyoke Gas & Electric.

"I just know that when our engineers did the testing as they always do, they just found some areas that warranted further testing," Wertz said.

He added that Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, is currently expanding its Westfield store into a Supercenter to include grocery items

"I certainly think this decision today is about this particular site," Wertz said."In the meantime we will just keep looking for other locations... in Holyoke and other communities."

Springfield-based Big Y Foods Inc. announced Sept. 3 that it would not build a store it had planned nearby at Homestead Avenue and Lower Westfield Road. At the time, Big Y cited heavy competition, including competition from the expected Walmart.

The Whiting Farms Walmart site had proven controversial with neighbors fearful of traffic and noise. Plans to build a Lowe's home improvement store there fell through before Walmart was discussed.