CUMBERLAND — Plans for a 10,000-square-foot travel station off Interstate 68 near Ali Ghan Shrine Club continue to move forward.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, which wants to build a fuel station and convenience store at the site, commonly known as the Turano property, recently added more than two acres to its property with a purchase of $1,625,000, according to records with the Maryland Department of assessments and Taxation.
A groundbreaking is planned for Spring 2013, said Brittni Shull, a communications specialist with Love’s. The stations usually open about six months after groundbreaking, Shull said.
Earlier this year, the Cumberland Municipal Planning and Zoning Commission gave a green light to Love’s, which wants to build the fuel station and convenience store in the area. The Turano property is directly across from the bridge over Interstate 68 that goes to U.S. Route 220 at state Route 144, just past the Ali Ghan Shrine Club.
“We have not been provided anything official, but it does appear to be moving along,” said City Engineer John DiFonzo. “The last thing I saw was a letter and comments from SHA (State Highway Administration). It was not an approval letter, but it didn't look like it contained anything that would make approval unlikely,” DiFonzo said. Only preliminary plans were available, so DiFonzo was not sure about when the developer would continue moving on the project.
Site plans for the Love’s project include two restaurants — McDonald’s and Subway — as well as fueling stations for cars and trucks. Drawings show parking spaces for 78 cars and 96 trucks. The city has been courting developers for the site since several years ago, when a Bethesda company proposed building Cumberland Crossing shopping center, which was to include at least one national chain. Those plans were stalled after the economic downturn in 2008.
Love’s, the developer, headquartered in Oklahoma City, has more than 280 locations in 39 states, though none is in Maryland.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com.
Latest news
Wheels turning for Love’s travel center east of city
- Latest news
-
-
Bear in tree
A crew from the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service successfully removed a young female bear from a tree in South Cumberland Thursday morning, eventually releasing the bruin on state-owned land in Allegany County.
-
Frostburg adopts $9.7M budget, keeps alley open
The Frostburg mayor and city council have voted to adopt a $9.7 million budget for fiscal year 2014 and to keep open an alley that many citizens feared would be closed by the city.
-
6th annual DelFest has arrived
Thirty national recording artists are preparing to step into the Cumberland spotlight this weekend at the Allegany County Fairgrounds as DelFest rolls into town for its sixth annual musical festival.
- Rocky Gap casino opens
-
‘Time just kind of stood still’
Helmeted rescue workers raced Tuesday to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children.
-
City hopes economic strategies clear way for job creation, growth
Shawn Hershberger, economic development coordinator for the city, gave an update of the strategies being pursued for economic growth, including developing an educational center at the former Human Resources Development Commission location.
-
Protesters rally at FirstEnergy meeting
At least 200 union workers picketed FirstEnergy’s annual shareholder meeting in West Virginia on Tuesday, demanding the Ohio-based utility hire enough people to keep the power on without forcing an ever-shrinking labor force to work as many as 1,800 hours of overtime a year.
-
DelFest activities kick off with annual teaching academy
As temperatures in the Cumberland area soared into the upper 80’s Monday and hit 90 on Tuesday, the DelFest folks were going full tilt at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, getting ready for their upcoming Memorial Day weekend music festival.
-
2 adults, 3 teens charged in former Sacred Heart Hospital breaking and entering
Two adults and three juveniles have been charged in connection with a recent breaking and entering of the former Sacred Heart Hospital complex on Seton Drive, according to the C3I Unit.
-
Final testing for Rocky Gap Casino
As required by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, the Rocky Gap Casino went through final live testing of its operations Monday, with officials hoping to open casino doors for business on Wednesday.
- More Latest news Headlines
-
Bear in tree
