It was a wake-up call for Fairport residents when retail giant Walgreens tried to buy the First Baptist Church - a village landmark - so it could build a store in its place.

In the past, the village relied on builders to be conscientious of the community's character. But the Walgreens proposal, which surfaced about two years ago, caused the village to change its approach. Some residents and elected officials had tried for almost two decades to get historic-preservation laws on the books, but it took the prospect of Walgreens moving in to finally get the ball rolling.

After a loud public outcry, the pharmacy chain backed away from the church property and shifted its focus to a lot across the street - the site of an Exxon gas station and a brick home. Walgreens planned to build a 10,000-square-foot store there, at the intersection of South Main Street and Route 31F.

In September 2007, however, the Village Board - in response to Walgreens -approved design standards for downtown, limiting buildings to 6,000 square feet. It is also now identifying historically significant structures, which will be subject to a brand-new preservation ordinance.

As a result of the new standards, as well as village and state DOT concerns about traffic, Walgreens withdrew its proposal. This was a relief to residents, who said it was too big and didn't fit the village's character. The relief may be temporary, however, because officials and residents expect the chain to come back with new plans.

It often takes a situation like Fairport's for villages to think seriously about preservation regulations. But as pressures from big-box retail build, communities across Monroe County - and the country, really - are beginning to take a serious look at what's worth preserving and how best to do it.

Large retailers are increasingly attracted to villages like Fairport, says Katie Comeau, an advocacy coordinator for the Landmark Society of Western New York. The reason: villages usually develop around major intersections, which mean lots of traffic. The

concentrated population a village offers is also attractive.

But most people move to villages because of the character, the pedestrian-oriented design, and the unique shops and businesses, experts say. And often, large retailers favor designs contrary to all three, particularly on matters of scale.

"It's a national issue. These chains are nationwide and they want to use the same design everywhere they go," Comeau says.

Increasingly, villages have begun to take preemptive action to preserve their character. Places like Fairport, Pittsford, and Victor, have done it through ordinances or design standards. While other places, like Naples, have made design an integral part of an application review.

Chain retailers often use their buildings as a part of their corporate identity, Comeau says. But some retailers will conform to local standards. Ten years ago, it was tough for villages and large retailers to find common ground on design, says Peter Baynes, executive director of the New York Conference of Mayors. Character, however, has become a larger consideration for retailers because village residents and officials have started to push back against oversized, cookie-cutter designs. The companies have learned they need to adapt if they truly want to build in a particular village.

That means village officials and residents can negotiate a project that is a better fit for their communities, Comeau says.

It's a strategy that helped the village of Pittsford a few years back. Starbucks wanted to build a roof with a steep pitch on its store in the village. Officials, however, said that was "incompatible" with Pittsford's character, says Mayor Bob Corby. After a few months of negotiating, the coffee chain decided to renovate and use the building without changing the roof.

Pittsford is Monroe County's oldest village and was early in adopting strict preservation laws. Officials and residents recognized that the area surrounding the village was rapidly developing and that the growth could pose a threat to the village's historic character.

The village's laws require board approval for any exterior changes to buildings in the local historic district, which covers the entire village. They also restrict demolition and the types of materials that can be used in construction and renovation. Preservation groups have repeatedly recognized Pittsford as a preservation success-story.

But there are still occasional conflicts over design. For that reason, the village is pursuing a grant to develop design standards, says Corby. The laws in place already discourage big-box retailers from building in the village. Regulations limit building size to 7,000 square feet and generally allow parking lots only in the rear of buildings.

But there are situations where design standards would help, Corby says. The Starbucks project is an example.

Victor passed its business-district design guidelines in 2004. The village has seen proposals from large retail developers, but once the village gives them the design standards, many back off, says Mayor John Holden. Among the restrictions: single-story buildings are limited to 5,000 square feet and two-story buildings can be 10,000 square feet. The village will only make an exception for a grocery store - and officials are close to getting one, Holden says.

"We've taken big boxes out of the equation, per se," he says.

Back in Fairport, the suspicion is Walgreens is merely re-tooling its design and will try again for a village store. But, one thing is clear: the chain will not be able to build the store it wanted to. According to the village's design standards, new buildings must be at least two stories and 24 feet tall, though other configurations will be considered. All building facades must be brick, stone, wood, or stucco. And the standards also include regulations for lighting and roof design.

"There's a lot of room for individuality. There's a lot of control within that individuality," Mayor Fritz May says.

If Walgreens does come back, the village's design standards will face their first real test. Walgreens will have to work with village officials to broker an acceptable compromise. It could be a case where nobody claims total victory.

Big boxes and chain stores already have villages in a bind. Many locate on the edge of downtowns and sap business away from smaller retailers.

That's why it's important for Fairport to attract businesses with unique products and services, says Peter McDonough, a resident who served as mayor from 1972 to 1981. The village, he says, should also capitalize more on its proximity to the Erie Canal.

"What we need is good, long-range planning," McDonough says.

Fairport's history

The village of Fairport has a rich history as an industrial, commercial, and transportation hub. While it was once a major commercial stop on the Erie Canal - Fairport got its name from a visitor who remarked that it was a "fair port" - the village is now a popular stop for recreational boaters.

Many of the village's commercial buildings still front along the canal.

Trains rumble through downtown with some frequency, backing-up traffic in both directions on Main Street. Light manufacturing still has a presence. Cobb Preserving, which became American Can Company, pioneered the use of the open-top sanitary tin can. The factory still stands and is now occupied by H.P. Neun Company, which makes boxes.

The village is also home to a varied collection of old commercial and industrial buildings, being reused as shops and offices. Many of the homes were built from the mid-1800's into the early 1900's in the Greek Revival, Italianate, and Gothic Revival styles.

And the Main Street lift bridge has received attention from Ripley's Believe it or Not, says Bill Keeler, curator of the Fairport Historical Museum. The bridge is built on an incline and no two angles on the bridge are the same, he says.