Developer eyes vacant church property
A developer plans to build a restaurants and retail at the site of the old Douglas Boulevard United Methodist Church. (Photo by Jeff Harrison)
Restaurant and retail space planned for E. Reno Ave. and S. Douglas Blvd.
By Jeff Harrison
Managing Editor
A busy intersection could soon have more businesses.
Midwest City leaders recently approved plans to rezone property near S. Douglas Blvd. and E. Reno Ave. for a new commercial development.
The proposed development would be built at 208 S. Douglas Blvd., the former site of Douglas Boulevard United Methodist Church. The church closed several years ago and has remained largely unused.
The developer, Rod Baker said he plans to demolish the main church building and construct one or multiple commercial buildings. He said he plans to leave the existing 6,000-square-foot metal building, which served as the fellowship hall, on the back part of the property.
According to online property records, the church building was built in 1975 and the fellowship hall was added in 1981.
Baker said he was involved in developing the CVS and Little Caesars located north of the church building. He also built another Little Caesars on Air Depot Blvd. and developed a former Walmart building, located near E. Reno Ave. and Midwest Blvd., into a self-storage facility.
“We’ve had our eye on this property for some time and it finally made sense to try and acquire it,” Baker told the council at the Jan. 26 meeting.
Baker asked the city council to rezone the property from R-6 Residential with a Special Use Permit for a Church, to C-3 Community Commercial.
Councilman Pat Byrne said he welcomes the commercial development in the area.
“I have had several people contact me over the last several years encouraging the city to get that corner developed,” he said. “It’s one of the main intersections in Midwest City and it’s a vacant building there. It’s not a good look if you’re passing through.”
His fellow councilmembers agreed and unanimously passed the zoning request.
Baker said he hopes to begin demolition in spring and have the first phase built by this year. He could not announce any possible tenants at this time.
I would ask this gentleman to consider the neighborhood and no rent or lease to any more CBD dispensaries our entire county is overrun.
I was wondering the neighborhood directly behind Target and Kohl’s is the city planning on demolishing that and providing more business & restaurant possibilities? With the new stadium going up looking all nice and those new condos or apartments they’ve started building, looks so so nice and inviting. All those new ran down houses in that area is going to really make the new places look bad & noone is going to wanna live in the new places being built because of those old eye sore houses. I can’t imagine building up things to help the city look good and then leave those ugly homes being target all the way to 15th St. I was curious. We went to a meeting we were invited to about it. Many were against it but it was those older home owners. Us younger ones wanna see new change and inviting to more families. I didn’t know if anything had changed or not with this. I hope to hear from you soon.
Senay-
There’s also a little nasty park on E. Douglas Dr that kids sit up there and openly make out for all to see. Needles and used condoms found. It’s dangerous and gross. No new families would want there kids playing there. That whole area needs to go & new development go up. Period