By Matthew Young
For HDMedia
Charleston’s Kanawha City neighborhood may soon receive a facelift, as plans are being developed for a new travel plaza.
GoMart Inc., based in Gassaway, Braxton County, reportedly purchased the former Kmart shopping center, located in the 6000 block of MacCorkle Avenue SE, at a private online auction. The property has remained vacant since the store’s closing in February 2020.
According to WCHS-TV, which initially reported this on Monday, the existing building will be demolished to make way for a travel plaza-style truck stop.
Although confirming the purchase of the location to the Gazette-Mail on Thursday, and noting that additional information would be announced in the near future, representatives of GoMart declined to discuss additional details at this stage of the project. However, Charleston City Councilmember Chad Robinson said that residents should withhold judgment of the project until those details are available.
“The city [of Charleston] knows very little about the project, other than the location has been acquired through a business-to-business purchase,” Robinson said. “One of our council people posted it on social media on Monday, and that brought negative attention to the sale.”
Robinson further noted that as the property was purchased through a private sale between GoMart and the previous owners, the city had no involvement with the transaction. Robinson did, however, confirm that the zoning permits are current and would be applicable to a travel plaza.
“The city does not have a say in these types of purchases, unless the products or services they would be providing are not within the zoning of the property, which they are in this case,” he said. “There are individuals there working. We’ve been told that they’re doing an asbestos review. Once that is complete, they will demolish the building.”
What’s next
According to Robinson, the close proximity and current lease agreement of GoMart’s other Kanawha City locations creates numerous possibilities for the future of the site.
“The current GoMart [across MacCorkle Avenue from the Kmart site] is so outdated,” Robinson said. “That’ll be closed. It’ll be demolished, and the leases can be purchased for another development that can enhance that part of Kanawha City as well.
“The city has always had a good relationship with GoMart,” Robinson added. “GoMart is planning to put another one of these travel plazas at the other end of the turnpike, is what I’ve been told. They want to butt the ends of the turnpike with two plazas.”
There is no timeline regarding the release of GoMart’s plans, completion of the asbestos review or demolition of the building, but dumpsters are now on site, and new security fencing has been installed around the property.
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