Demolition of the former Lake City Ford building on Oliver Street began Wednesday morning to give way for a new business development at the site.
In February Wensley Architecture Ltd. received all the necessary permits to redevelop the 715 Oliver Street site, but as of Wednesday morning confirmed there was no news to share on what businesses might be going in there.
Celtic and Eldorado Construction was on site as well as Quality Excavating to oversee the demolition.
Across the street at Boitanio Mall there is a sign on the door indicating there a no businesses left on the top level.
The mall’s owner Janda Group is planning to redevelop the mall’s upper level and see a drive-thru restaurant developed on the southwest corner of the parking lot, said Sonny Janda.
At its April 10 regular meeting, city council approved a zoning amendment application for a drive-thru restaurant at the site, and a development variance application for reduced off-street parking that will now be circulated to surrounding property owners for comment.
Janda said he knows what the drive-thru restaurant is but could not share that information yet.
“Once I’m able to I’m sure we will, but unfortunately right now I can’t. It’s a drive-thru restaurant on that pad, most likely during construction we will leave it up to the operator to release that information themselves.”
As for the plans for the upper level of the mall, the zoning application is still at first reading because Janda Group is working with about four different operators.
“Before we go to the second reading, we want to make sure we have a strong business plan. It’s a big area, it’s a big plan, financially and socially so we want to make sure we do it right,” Janda said.
The hope is to do a different use than retail on the second floor, he added.
“I don’t have a timeline on that one, but you will see some changes on the drive-thru this summer.”
If the upper area of the mall is redeveloped into something other than retail, it will be a first for the company.
“We are using this as a template for future developments at other sites we own. We like the Williams Lake site and we think it’s ideal for many reasons. If we can make it work then we could have a recipe for success.”
There is also a new box store going up at Prosperity Ridge, and repeatedly the Tribune has called to find out what is going in the site, however Platform Properties said the business is not willing to divulge that yet either.
