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There’s arguably no more of a big box store mecca on the Seacoast than Route 1 in Seabrook. The town’s over- the-border, taxfree shopping location, its proximity to Interstate 95, and residential growth since a town-side sewer system opened housing development a decade ago, has changed Route 1 from a two-lane local road to a chain store express.

At 120,000 square feet, Lowe’s became Seabrook’s largest Route 1 box store when it opened last year.

“There’s literally hundreds of factors we look at,” said Karen Cobb, a spokeswoman from Lowe’s North Carolina corporate office. Cobb listed the considerations: “Home ownership in the area, population, access to major roadways. easy access out of a parking lot and growth in a community. We take into consideration other neighboring businesses (the town) might attract.” Cobb said she could not comment on sales figures nor the profitability of the Seabrook store except to say, “it’s been well received.” Lowe’s follows the opening of Home Depot and restaurant chains Chili’s and Applebee’s, but represents just the one of the big boxes along Route 1.

In August, Developers Diversified Realty of Beachwood, Ohio, proposed 441,000 square feet of 15 retail stores on 46 acres, with a Target as the anchor. DDR plans to convert the former auto manufacturing space of Bailey’s Corp. and Venture Seabrook into a retail site directly across the street from Interstate 95 access. The plan has run into stumbling blocks from a number of sources. Seabrook’s fire chief has more than hinted he wants the town to get a half-million dollar aerial ladder truck out of the deal.

Chief Jeff Brown called DDR’s plan the town’s biggest building project since the construction of the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant. His department could not combat a fire at the retail center without the truck, said Brown, who was refusing to sign off on the project as a department head until the issue is addressed.

DDR representative, attorney Malcolm McNeill Jr. of Dover, made no comment on the proposal at an August Seabrook Planning Board meeting.

The estimated value of the proposed shopping center is $101 million, McNeill said, representing 5.6 percent of Seabrook’s tax base. Another potential roadblock on Route 1 development is Seabrook Station, owned by FPL Energy. The planned DDR site borders the access road to the nuclear plant.

“We don’t want to see traffic backed up on Route 1,” said Sarah Gebo, representing FPL Energy Seabrook Station, at the same Planning Board meeting.

Route 1 is a state road. Two years ago, the N.H. Department of Transportation widened Route 1 at the Route 107 intersection to ease traffic congestion. A 10- year plan calls for the further widening of Route 1 from Seabrook to Portsmouth. In addition, Route 1 abuts residential property. The Planning Board in August listened to concerns from abutters who listed noise from trucks, dumpsters, fans and compactors; traffic congestion; tractor-trailers idling and parking overnight, as well as lights and drainage, as reasons to put strict controls on commercial operations.

Yet Seabrook so far has been a developmentfriendly town. Paul Garand, the town’s building inspector, sees growth just beginning. Other potential sites include Northgate Plaza where an Ames was formerly located. The strip mall already includes one of the two Market Basket grocery stores in town. There’s speculation of a development at the Seacoast Truck Center, located north of Staples, or on the 10 acres located south of Lowe’s. Already approved is a 78-room Holiday Inn Express at the Rocks Road intersection, with a restaurant yet to be identified.