By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green has long been the home to plenty of pizza joints. Maybe that’s why it’s becoming the home of more exercise gyms.
Planet Fitness is the latest gym business to plan on making Bowling Green its home. At Wednesday’s city planning commission meeting, Planning Director Heather Sayler said Planet Fitness has plans to open a gym in the Shoppes on South Main strip mall, south of East Gypsy Lane Road.
Sayler also announced a few other commercial and industrial projects underway in the city.
A permit has been issued for the construction of a Home2Suites extended stay hotel at 1630 E. Wooster St., in the space formerly used by Victory Inn. The Home2Suites is one of Hilton’s hotels.
Another permit has been issued for an addition to the Aldi grocery store at 1010 S. Main St.
Currently under review is a permit for site improvements of the McDonald’s restaurant on East Wooster Street.
Sayler also noted an increase in requested zoning permits, with 166 being sought this year compared to 137 at his time last year. New construction this year includes 17 single-family homes, three commercial buildings, 1 industrial site, and three institutional facilities.
The city’s engineering division has approved construction plans for Plat 1 of The Reserve at Martindale, which consists of three proposed lots along Pearl Street and Martindale Avenue.
The city is also reviewing a preliminary drawing for Plat 8 of Pheasant Farms.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the planning commission reviewed a manufacturing zoning definition request that would allow a vocational training school to be built in Bellard Business Park, on the northwest edge of the city.
Sue Clark, director of the Bowling Green Economic Development, explained that Penta Career Center is interested in constructing a 6,000 to 7,000 square foot building in the business park as a training center for high school juniors and seniors. The students would attend classes in the morning, then work at local manufacturers or agri-business locations in the area.
Clark said she initially questioned the use of the property for the training program. But then realized it could answer a need in the community.
“Every day I get a complaint from another manufacturer about how they can’t find new people,” she said.
Clark mentioned the wealth of training programs in northern Wood County, but none in Bowling Green.
“We see this as a long-term answer to some of the problems we are wrestling with,” she said.
Judy Ennis, a member of the city planning commission, noted the state’s push for such programs.
“This is a really welcome and needed step across the state,” Ennis said.
