Shopping center planned on Worthsville Road

A new shopping center is planned as one of the first commercial developments in a growing area of Greenwood.

What exactly will move into the strip mall at Worthsville and Sheek roads isn’t yet known. The center is planned on about 4 acres of land at the southeast corner of the intersection, with four shops ranging from 1,200 to 5,000 square feet, as well as two additional lots for retail development, according to plans presented to the city.

City officials have long discussed what development should look like in that area of the city, which is expected to be the next growth area for Greenwood since a new Interstate 65 interchange was added there.

The development would fit into the city’s long term plan for the intersection, which was to have commercial developments on each corner, Greenwood Planning Director Bill Peeples said. A gas station, Circle K, was built on the northwest corner, the other two corners have a church and school.

Under the city’s current zoning in that area, commercial businesses, such as lodging, restaurants and retail, would be allowed in the shopping center.

The city council extended the I-65 overlay corridor, which includes guidelines for development along the interstate, to include the section of Worthsville Road with that property. However, those extra restrictions in that zoning area, which limits the types of businesses and provides additional rules for how buildings must be constructed, won’t apply because the city determined the property should be grandfathered into old rules, Peeples said.

Ohio Properties, which owns the land, could either develop the property and lease it or sell it to someone else who will, managing member Nick Kirkendall said.

What stores or restaurants may be moving in isn’t known yet, he said.

Infrastructure has already been put in place for development, Kirkendall said.

Before any construction could begin, a commercial site plan would need to be filed with the city, Peeples said. The site is shovel ready, with an interior access driveway, as well as storm water and sanitary sewer infrastructure in place, he said.