PARKERSBURG - Property near the Traffic Circle could soon undergo major renovations with the plans for a convenience store, gasoline station and a new pharmacy slated for the area.
In the last year, officials have announced plans to erect new stores in the Traffic Circle that will significantly impact the area.
Last summer, Matt Jones announced plans to build a convenience store along Murdoch and Ohio avenues. More recently a developer representing CVS pharmacy disclosed plans to erect a new store on the outskirts of the circle.
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By Jody Murphy
Property near the city’s traffic circle could soon undergo major renovations, with the plans for a convenience store, gas station and pharmacy slated for the area.
Jones, president of Finish Line Inc., purchased part of the John Chalfant property, buying five parcels of land along Ohio Avenue that includes the former Chalfant Realty building, a former restaurant and a few old houses.
His goal is to erect a Finish Line convenience store on the site and possibly a car wash. Jones has two other stores in the area in Mineral Wells and on W.Va. 47 near West Virginia University-Parkersburg.
Both stores have fast food franchises inside them and if things go as planned, the Ohio Avenue building will be no exception. Jones' Finish Line stores house Taco Bell, Subway, Domino's Pizza and Charlie Biggs Chicken franchises.
The Municipal Planning Commission has given conditional approval of the abandonment of 24th Street for CVS Pharmacy to build a new 13,000 square foot building along Murdoch Avenue.
Developer Jeff Albrecht of Hometown Development has met with the commission seeking to have the street and alleys closed to accommodate parking. Plans for the CVS call for a 74-space parking lot.
For the new store to become reality, developers must complete the acquisition of several surrounding properties. Developers told the commission they have letters from the four owners stating their agreement to option the properties for erecting a CVS Pharmacy.
In addition to the CVS, developers are negotiating for a smaller strip of property along Ohio Avenue to build a second yet-to-be-determined business. The parcel could hold a 4,000 square foot building.
When the state rerouted the road at the Traffic Circle, linking Emerson Avenue and the Memorial Bridge approach, intersecting with Emerson Avenue and W.Va. 68, 24th Street was blocked off to W.Va. 68, become a dead end street.
The new developments will vastly alter the state of business of in the area, giving residents and commuters new options.
If all goes according to plan, a number of old houses and vacant buildings will come down in lieu of new, vibrant businesses.
With the new businesses going up and the more adjacent land available - the old Chalfant trailer court - the area could experiencing a revitalization.
