Commercial Developments
2/27/2008
PARKERSBURG — The developers of two major commercial developments are looking forward to the coming spring in getting work under way to have both sites primed for construction.
Over the last year, two restaurants opened at sites near two major roads through the area.
A Burger King restaurant at what will be known as Emerson Commons Boulevard near Interstate 77 and a Western Sizzlin Steak House near Lubeck, adjacent to the new Corridor D highway, opened over the past year and have been doing good business, their developers said.
The restaurants are the first step in larger developments, which have come to be known as Emerson Commons, located at West Virginia 68 north near I-77, and Neal Run Crossing, located at W.Va. 68 south near Lubeck.
The Burger King restaurant sits on a lot in a potential 25-acre area primed for development, said developer Rick Coulson. Plans are under way to develop more restaurants, gas stations, a hotel and retail stores at the site, Coulson said.
“We are just waiting for the winter to break so we can go in there and do some excavating and earth moving,” he said. “We have a lot of ground to move.”
Coulson estimates there are about 200,000 yards of earth to move. Once that is done they can begin putting in roadways and have other needed utilities in place.
“We have held off until the weather warms up,” he said. “When spring hits, we’re really going to go at it.
“In about six months we should have the streets in as well as other infrastructure.”
Currently plans are in place for the state to widen the road around the interstate interchange.
Coulson said the access and visibility from the interstate are important for the development’s future as they wanted to make that property into a nice upscale development. The developers have had preliminary talks with a number of companies to build there and are in the process of taking inquiries about the property from other businesses.
“We are looking at creating the right mix of things,” Coulson said.
The Western Sizzlin was the first business completed in the Neal Run Crossing development at W.Va. 68 south off the new Corridor D highway.
Since opening in November, the restaurant has seen a lot of people come in, based mostly on word-of-mouth and little advertising, said Western Sizzlin developer Mike Johnson.
“We are really pleased with the turnout from the local neighborhoods, churches and businesses,” he said. “The restaurant has done as well as expected.
“We are still anticipating the opening of the Blennerhassett Bridge this spring which we feel will bring in more business and make the restaurant more accessible to the whole area.”
Many people in the area missed the Western Sizzlin that closed a few years ago in the traffic circle to make way for a road giving access between Emerson Avenue and the Memorial Bridge, he said.
“Many people have really embraced this new restaurant,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t like we opened a new restaurant, but brought back and reopened a local favorite.”
The establishment is only a couple of miles from downtown Parkersburg and is an easy drive for many to take.
The restaurant recently made carry-out service available and is planning to expand its banquet facilities with Powerpoint capabilities, Johnson said.
With one successful restaurant in place, there is around 90 acres getting ready for development in the surrounding area, said Larry George, Neal Run Crossing developer.
There is potential for more businesses at the location, including restaurants, motels and retail stores. The developers have begun talking with many different companies about building there. They have sent demographics, engineering plats and other information to several companies about the site and the surrounding area, including traffic numbers, average incomes for the local population and more.
“The numbers have to work for them to be attractive for them to come here,” George said. “We’re very optimistic.”
A number of companies are waiting on the opening of the Blennerhassett Bridge to assess traffic numbers to get a better idea of who and what the area would support. Projections have about 55,000 vehicles a day on the Corridor D highway, developers said.
“That bridge is going to have more of an impact in this valley than most people realize,” George said of giving people from Ohio better access to the Lubeck area and any businesses located there. The development will also create jobs.
George said they are continuing to have meetings with people and businesses who might locate at Neal Run Crossing. They all ready have a lot of infrastructure in place, including fiber optic lines as well as new sewer, water and gas lines. This spring, they are planning on doing a lot of earth moving, road building and continuing to get needed infrastructure in place on the property.
“Weather is a major factor in doing anything,” George said. “This spring we are expecting to see some genuine interest in Neal Run Crossing.
“It is a very exciting time. If I had to make a guess, I would say that this time next year you will see several commercial establishments out at Neal Run Crossing.”
Posted with permission from The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
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