“I wanted to reach out to let you know that QuikTrip will no longer move forward with the project. I received word from Corporate last week,” Ali Bukhresj, real estate project manager for Quiktrip in Naperville, Ill., wrote in an email to Spring obtained from the city of Tipp City.
City development leaders also were working with representatives of Sheetz and Wawa about locating gas station/convenience store operations at the same intersection.
Wawa’s plans have gone through the city approval process and the company can begin construction at any time.
The Sheetz project future, though, is uncertain.
“The Sheetz project was directly tied to the QuikTrip project (they were sharing the cost of the required infrastructure improvements),” Spring said. “However at this time, we have not received formal notice from Sheetz that they are withdrawing. They’ve indicated that they are currently conducting internal discussions and will let the city know once a final decision has been made.”
At the city’s request, Wawa is reviewing its previously approved Traffic Impact Study and the traffic signal configuration because both were tied to the QuikTrip/Sheetz project, Spring said.
The Tipp City Council is considering an ordinance that would ban additional standalone gas stations.
The city now is home to eight gas stations, referred to in the proposal as automotive fuel sales businesses. The ordinance was written to allow a station if a grocery store would be included. City development leaders have been searching for a grocery store, one of the biggest requests heard from residents as the city has stepped up its development efforts.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com.
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