Retail Roundup: Renovations and a restaurant coming to Belleville
A new restaurant is coming to downtown Belleville and an optometrist is expanding his downtown office.
That’s thanks in part to Belleville aldermen on the city’s Finance Committee, who on Monday took the first step in handing out tax breaks to help defray the cost of planned renovations by approving development agreements.
Developers Mark and Renae Eichholz confirmed their plans to renovate the former Quiznos at 200 E. Main St. and open the Double Barrel Lodge, an original concept fast-casual eatery. That project is expected to cost $400,000 and will force the relocation of Junction Coffee & Frozen Yogurt, which occupies the suite adjacent to the former Quiznos.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bill Ritzel is expanding Belleville Optometrists, Ltd., currently located at 22 N. Jackson St. He plans to spend $694,000 to renovate his site, expanding in both directions to include 18 N. Jackson St. to 24 N. Jackson St.
With approval by Belleville’s full city council on Feb. 16, each site will become part of an enterprise zone, which allows developers to buy construction materials without paying state sales taxes if the materials are purchased in Illinois.
Zapatas’ brief hiatus ends
You can rest easy: Zapatas Mexican Restaurant is back open.
The popular eatery once located at 2615 N. Illinois St. in Swansea closed its doors Feb. 7. But staff had been hard at work preparing the restaurant’s new site at 4660 N. Illinois St. in Fairview Heights in the meantime.
The new site opened Wednesday.
Planet Fitness opens in Edwardsville
If you’re in Madison County, it just got harder to avoid getting in shape. The metro-east’s second Planet Fitness location opened last month in Edwardsville.
The site is located at 6483 Center Grove Rd. Management said it opened Jan. 14.
The other Planet Fitness in the region is located at 4953 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights. There’s also one location in St. Louis city, three in St. Louis County and two in St. Charles County, Mo.
Highland contractor will oversee Columbia project
A five-story, 59,000-square-foot professional center will be erected in Columbia, and a Highland firm will oversee construction.
Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, Inc. was named construction manager of the Eleven South project.
The project got its name from the new road crews will build off Sand Bank Road on Columbia’s north side. The site is bounded by Sand Bank Road to the south, Bluff Road to the west and Illinois 3 to the east and north.
Interested tenants have not yet been publicly named.
This story was originally published February 14, 2016 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Retail Roundup: Renovations and a restaurant coming to Belleville."