Posted: 7:36 p.m. Friday, June 26, 2015

Delays slow proposed gas station project in Middletown

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

Plans to build a combination restaurant, convenience store and gas station project near the Interstate 75/Ohio 122 interchange in Middletown’s Renaissance District have faced delays.

Lenny Robinson, property agent and president of Robinson Commercial Real Estate, said in a statement that the $2.4 million project has been a year in the making. However, getting Duke Energy power poles and lines relocated has delayed movement on the project, he said.

Robinson said in addition to waiting for power poles to be moved, he’s also waiting on other construction and underground tank designs and plans. Despite the delays, Robinson expects to have the plans and other materials needed to present to the Middletown Planning Commission at their August meeting to clear the next step.

Lee Freedman, a Duke Energy spokesman said via email Friday that company representatives recently met with the project developer and Middletown officials to discuss how to best relocate the power poles and lines to accommodate this development while still meeting local ordinances for utilities.

Freedman said Duke representatives left that meeting with orders to relocate a small portion of the utility infrastructure from overhead to underground lines. He said two business days later, Duke provided a revised cost estimate to the developer to relocate the Duke Energy equipment on the site.

“At this point, we’re still waiting to hear back from the developer about who is responsible for paying to relocate the lines, wires and equipment that are connected to our power poles, yet owned by other utilities. Once we receive this information, we’ll contact the other utilities so they can provide the developer or responsible party with cost estimates,” Freedman said via email. “Once all of the cost estimates are approved, we can begin working with the other utilities on coordinating the work and completing the project.”

Robinson said the 6,000-square-foot facility located at the former putt-putt golf course at the intersection of Commerce Drive and Ohio 122 will feature an upscale design and could employ up to 30 people.

The city’s economic development and engineering departments have been working with Robinson’s client, MNR LLC, on a number of land issues such as facilitating curb cuts, and adjusting rights of way. MNR will also acquire one acre of land from Commerce Center LLC, a local investment group that owns several acres of land on Commerce Drive, Robinson previously said.

Mo Patel, of MNR LLC, told the Journal-News earlier this year the Middletown interchange was an ideal location because it was the only one of nine between Cincinnati and Dayton that did not have a gas station.

MNR, led by Mo and Nick Patel, currently owns and operates multiple gas stations throughout the Dayton area.

The closest gas stations at this time are at the Kroger Marketplace and the Meijer stores on Towne Boulevard, at Roosevelt and Breiel boulevards and one in the Warren County community of Hunter.