Stow City Council approved the project on September 25, along with three separate tax abatement agreements totaling 75% for 12 years. The approvals came despite concerns from one council member about the generosity of the tax incentives. For complete coverage of the council meeting and all approved projects, read our full council meeting report.
A major commercial development is transforming the former Stow Glenn retirement home property on Kent Road into a retail complex featuring national chains and local businesses.
The project, developed by OCG Stow Properties, will bring a Sheetz gas station, Chick-fil-A restaurant, and two additional retail buildings to the 8.7-acre site, which has been divided into three parcels.
Sheetz Gas Station and Convenience Store
The westernmost parcel will feature a 6,139-square-foot Sheetz location with modern amenities. The gas station and convenience store commits to creating 36 new jobs with $1 million in annual payroll. The company plans to generate approximately $20,000 in annual payroll tax revenue for the city.
Sheetz will invest approximately $2 million in property improvements. The location will feature gas pumps and a drive-through area for the convenience store.
Developer Lance Osborne told council the company is eager to finalize lease agreements and begin construction as soon as possible, potentially within two weeks of final approvals.
Chick-fil-A Restaurant
The middle parcel will house a 5,023-square-foot Chick-fil-A counter-service restaurant. The location commits to 25 new jobs and $550,000 in new payroll, generating approximately $11,000 in annual payroll tax.
Chick-fil-A will invest $2 million in the property. The restaurant will include a drive-through lane designed to handle the chain’s typically high traffic volumes.
Osborne met with city officials to address traffic flow concerns, presenting engineering plans that satisfied council members about the site’s ability to manage customer volume.
Ward I Councilman Matt Riehl thanked Osborne for the meeting, stating he was “very pleased” with how the traffic concerns were addressed and that it “calmed all those things.”
Two Retail Buildings
The back portion of the property, designated as parcel 3, will contain two retail buildings totaling 28,100 square feet. One building will be 13,100 square feet and the other 15,000 square feet.
This parcel commits to 24 new jobs and $100,000 in new payroll, generating approximately $2,000 in annual payroll tax. The developer will invest $1.4 million in property improvements.
Osborne announced during the council meeting that one tenant has been secured for the entire 15,000-square-foot building, though the tenant’s identity was not disclosed. Negotiations for the second building are ongoing.
Complex Development Challenges
The site presents significant development challenges that drove the developer to seek tax abatements. The property comes with nearly $700,000 in tax arrearages that will be paid off at closing, providing immediate revenue to the city and schools.
The Kent Road development represents one of several major projects reshaping Stow’s commercial landscape. Earlier in September, the Stow Planning Commission approved an Aldi store on Marsh Road and updated regulations for residential chicken coops, showing the city’s balanced approach to both commercial growth and residential quality of life issues.
Osborne explained the site requires approximately 20,000 cubic yards of fill dirt to make it suitable for development due to significant grade changes. The developer must demolish the existing nursing home building, deliver sanitary sewer infrastructure to the rear apartments parcel, and relocate an existing detention basin to the back of the development.
The current detention pond will be compacted to create space for the Chick-fil-A drive-through.
The property’s easements and title are complicated due to its history as a bifurcated property including the nursing home and apartment complex. Osborne noted his attorney worked for a week to understand the complex easement arrangements.
The site wasn’t the first attempt at redevelopment. City officials noted the receiver contacted them multiple times over recent years about commercial developers interested in the property, but previous deals fell through due to costs and complexity.
Timeline and Approvals
Osborne expressed urgency about moving forward, noting that Summit County courts are frustrated with delays and may initiate a sheriff’s sale to collect the outstanding tax arrearages if the transaction doesn’t proceed quickly.
Construction could begin within two weeks of final approvals, though Osborne acknowledged the timing isn’t ideal. He would have preferred to start in August or September during drought conditions, as moving 20,000 cubic yards of dirt will be challenging if weather turns wet.
The project received all necessary approvals from Stow City Council on September 25, including site plan approval and three separate 75% tax abatements for 12 years.
Council President Cyle Feldman encouraged the developer to inform other developers that “Stow is still the place to be” after the meeting concluded.
Related: Stow Police Report: Thefts, OVI Arrests and Protection Order Violation
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