Developers Ready to Talk About Whitney-Pearl Project

A long-in-coming retail project at is moving again.

The new developers, WXZ Development Inc., have set a public meeting for 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at the to talk about the first phase of the project, which city officials said is to include an and a Sheetz gas station.

The project was already dealt a small setback. On Tuesday night, City Council formally objected to a liquor permit sought by , saying the company had not yet turned in any plans for the restaurant.

Law Director Ken Kraus said the city could not review the project for health and safety requirements, and opposed the permit "based on the lack of information at this point."

The parcel at Whitney and Pearl has been tied up in foreclosure since the Toledo-based Timberstone development group ran into financial obstacles and bowed out in 2009.

Timberstone was the second developer to plan and then abandon a project there.

Residents were promised a major retail project, to be called Renaissance Park, that would include a grocery store and a mix of other retail and restaurants by original developer David Lewanski, who in late 2005 said he had commitments from Lowe's, Bed Bath & Beyond and Circuit City to locate there.

Lowe's and  have been constructed so far. Circuit City is out of business, and  built a store at the Plaza at SouthPark.

When Lewanski left, Timberstone proposed a multi-phased project that would include smaller retail stores, restaurants and office space. 

City officials said they met with WXZ in mid-November to talk about landscaping and general issues at the site.