A general store chain is looking to build a new store on a lot in East Wareham that has been abandoned since two stabbing deaths occurred at the location in 2011.

The Tennessee-based Dollar General --which is a discount variety store, not a dollar store-- is proposing a 9,000 square foot building on a 60,000 square-foot lot at 3137 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham.

"It's a tough spot on the highway," said Planning Board Chairman George Barrett.

The proposed location is the site of the former White Pines Motel, which was demolished in December 2012. The motel was shut down in January 2011, less than a week after the stabbing deaths of two Wareham residents in an allegedly botched robbery at the motel.

Developer Bob Minichielli wanted to build affordable housing projects on the site in early 2013, but the proposal never got off the ground because his company was disbanded by the state.

Barrett said engineers from the Southborough-based Bohler Engineering and architects came before the board about a month ago to find out what would need to be done to put a building on the site, then went back to Dollar General with a proposal, which the retailer liked.

"They did the preliminary research to see if it could work," Barrett said.

According to Barrett, it would take a few months for a commercial development such as this to get through site plan review and then some time after that to go through Massachusetts highway review.  He said he didn't know of any other company that wanted to build on the site besides Minichielli and Dollar General.

The proposed site plans are scheduled to go before the Planning Board on May 12. The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. in Room 320 of the Multi-Service Center.

"It would be nice to see that site redeveloped," Barrett said, "and welcome a new business to town and see an old site put to good use."