Jan. 5—It’s been nearly six years, but a controversial gas station/convenience store project in Carlisle could be opened in late March.

Contractors for Casey’s General Store have been busy with the construction of a new, 3,200 square-foot gas station/convenience store at 767 Central Ave. The corner lot where the Pizza Hotline once stood is busy with construction activity as the station’s fuel tanks and other infrastructure have been installed at the site.

“The store is currently on track to open at the end of March 2024,” said Katie Petru, director of communications and community for Casey’s General Store. “Weather could impact this, but currently it’s on schedule.”

In the 2018 filing, the developer said the new Casey’s location could offer 20 to 30 jobs, and typically 10 to 15 are full-time positions.

In addition to the gas station, the convenience store offers some grocery items as well as freshly prepared food like pizza, subs, sandwiches, salads and bakery items. Officials said this operation differs from competitors in that products are mostly made to order for the customer.

According to its building permit application, Casey’s is planning to construct a 3,220 square-foot convenience store with 10 fuel pumps. The estimated cost of the building project is listed at $600,000.

The site consists of two parcels, one of which is the former Pizza Hotline restaurant at the corner of Central and Lomar avenues. Casey’s originally proposed to construct a 4,320-square-foot building facing Central Avenue. However, in April 2022, the city Planning Commission approved a scaled-down site plan that calls for a 3,200 square-foot building and one less fuel dispenser.

Residents opposed to the project said the new convenience store and gas station was inappropriate for the location next to a residential area and also raised concerns about the possible impact on other gas stations in the village.

The plan stalled in 2018 due to a 3-3 vote by the planning commission. At the time there was one vacant planning commission seat. The owners of the property challenged the decision, which was overturned by the Warren County Common Pleas Court in 2019. However, Casey’s did not act within one year of the decision, so it needed to start the process over again with the planning commission.

Casey’s has more than 2,600 locations in 17 midwestern states, including several in the Dayton/Cincinnati region. The Ankeny, Iowa-based company is the fifth largest pizza chain in the nation, and 57% of their locations are in communities with populations of 5,000 or less, according to their website.