AJ Letizio Sales & Marketing Eyes Expansion

In the next few years, Routes 111 and 111a will change significantly at the Interstate 93 corridor.

At the end of where the current Route 111 will soon cut off into a cul-de-sac is A.J. Letizio Sales & Marketing, which is also planning some significant changes of its own.

According to Al Letizio Jr, who serves as president of the company, he is looking to expand his current building by adding 9,000 square feet of space. The expansion will fit into the current 7,600-square-foot facility like a tetris block in the back.

"We're just simply running out of space for everything we've got," Letizio said. "We have planned even when we bought the place to expand."

Much of Letizio's strategy will work directly with the changes brought on by I-93. He said that he has been working with the N.H. Department of Transportation since 2000, specifically keeping in regular contact with Assistant Commissioner and Chief Engineer Jeff Brillhart to discuss how the I-93 widening will impact his business.

"We've both gotten older together watching this thing," Letizio said.

The state needed to acquire a piece of land from Letizio for the I-93 project, but a land swap will allow for the expansion.

Letizio said that much of the work done to his building in the past has been based on the suggestion of neighbors.

He recently invited about 30 people, including abutters, into the office to present some of his planned changes.

The I-93 project will create a new Route 111 in Windham, which will run behind Letizio's business if facing from the current Route 111.

Letizio said that he has had conversations with Castleton Banquet and Conference Center, which sits across the street, regarding the ways the two businesses can positively share the new cul-de-sac that will mark the end of the "old" Route 111.

Letizio will go before the Planning Board tonight for a preliminary meeting on his expansion application. He said that the project has been cycling through the town for the last year.

He expects a final site application to go before the board in late August.

Included in the application is a parking lot expansion, which he plans to double to 42 spaces. Letizio also said that he wants to do stone work, recognizing that his business welcomes a lot of people to the town as they exit the highway.

The state currently has the new parking lot area paved, and Letizio said that he will actually be cutting back on the paved area.

The current business sign would flip to the other side of the building to face the new Route 111.

A.J. Letizio Sales & Marketing is involved with the food service industry, and has seen a lot of recent success. Full-time employees span up and down the coast as far south as North Carolina.

"We've seen double-digit growth over last year's business," Letizio said. "(This is) planning ahead for the growth of the company."