Monday, December 17, 2007

Opelika OKs new retail center

It looks like TigerTown and The Shoppes at Capps Farm will soon be retail rivals near heavily traveled I-85.

May 16, 2007

It looks like TigerTown and The Shoppes at Capps Farm will soon be retail rivals near heavily traveled I-85.

A public hearing was held on the proposed retail commercial shopping center during Tuesday’s Opelika City Council meeting. The center, located on the southeast corner of Exit 58 off I-85, is slated to stretch 370,000-square-feet. The 62-acre property would include retail, restaurants and its own movie theatre and would also boast a children’s playground and open-air amphitheater.

The Capps proposal went through an Opelika Planning Commission review and approval process complete with a public hearing. The process was repeated with a public hearing held in council chambers Tuesday followed by ordinance approval that would essentially give the developer, Capps Family Partners LLC, a green light to move forward and turn those long-held blue prints into eye-catching structures.

“Crank the bulldozer,“ Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said.

Council members approved changing a portion of the Capps Farm property from a rural district to a planned unit development.

In other council news, Opelika High School seniors Somyr C. Stephens and Desmond T. Barnett were awarded Alabama Municipal Electric Authority Scholarships. Stephens plans to use her $4,555 at the University of Alabama and Barnett will use his $2,355 at Southern Union State Community College.

The council also applauded the Opelika High School Track & Field Team for bringing home the State 6A Champion title for 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 having won 12 consecutive sectional championships. The track team includes, Sam Trammell, Arsenio Abrams, Charles Johnson, K.R. Snipes, Quitaze Baker, Douglas Payne, Eric Slaughter, William Roberson, Phillip Baker, Rodney Johnson, Alexander Blunt, Orlando Ezell, Greg Rowe, Jay Locke, Nick Clayton, Noah Bartlett, Marquez Strickland, Andrew Fort and Tony McLeod.

Head Track Coach Bill McManus spoke highly of all the boys and especially of Trammell, a three-time wrestling champion who excels in track and football.

The council also recognized the Lion Tamers Social Club and presented it with a proclamation handed to Wilbert Payne and George H Floyd. Also Opelika police officer Richard Converse was named Officer of the Month.

Meanwhile an upcoming public hearing for a proposed Geneva Street Historic District will be held June 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the Public Works facility, according to Andy Bell, community development administrator.