Old Logan's lot on I-30 still sitting empty, what's the holdup?

Up way too early again (coffee's still brewing) and driving past that old Logan's Roadhouse lot on I-30 yesterday had me wondering... it's still just sitting there 😅 Panera next door has been open since Jan. 15 and the parking lot is packed every time I go by, so it's not like the spot is a dud.

From what I read, Raising Cane's got conditional site-plan approval back in February but it's tied to getting the stormwater stuff fixed, and I haven't seen any word on an opening date. Honestly with the rain we've had this spring I get why the drainage matters, nobody wants a lot that turns into a pond every time we get a good storm. But still, it's been a minute.

I'll admit I'm rooting for Cane's mostly because of jobs. A new restaurant that size usually means a good number of positions, and we've got a lot of high schoolers and folks looking for part time work around here who'd jump on that. Local jobs are kind of my thing, I know, I know 🙂

But I'm curious what everybody else would rather see on that corner. Another chicken place? Something sit-down? A sporting goods or hardware type store? I'd take a decent breakfast spot honestly. Anybody know more about where the stormwater part stands?

Hope this helps get the conversation going!

Cane's for sure 🙌 only worry is the drive-thru line backing up onto the service road, they do that everywhere. Stormwater stuff always takes forever tho, wouldn't be shocked if it's still empty by football season

Them drive thru lines are no joke, saw it on the Benton one. Wouldnt be surprised if it sits till fall tho, nothin moves fast with stormwater. Id rather have a good BBQ joint there honestly, but I know I'm dreaming lol

A good BBQ place would do fine out there... Razorback Saturdays alone would keep it busy. But I'll take anything that gets built without flooding the lot. Panera's been a zoo so I'd guess Cane's will be too...

Just my two cents

Ronald, you're not dreaming, a BBQ place would do great on that corner 😄 Joyce's Razorback Saturday point is right too. Between game days and everybody coming off I-30 hungry, it'd be slammed. Come deer season it'd be full of camo, I promise you that.

The Benton line is a fair worry. I've seen traffic stack up on a Friday there and it's not pretty. Whoever designs that lot better give the drive-thru some real room, because the service road gets tight enough already. Maybe that's part of what the stormwater/site plan back and forth is about, I honestly don't know.

Whatever goes in, I just want it to hire local. A BBQ joint or a Cane's, either one gives a bunch of our teenagers and part-timers a first job close to home 🙂 Still no word on where the drainage fix stands, if anyone hears something please post it here.

Hope this helps

Joyce is right about Razorback Saturdays, anything near I-30 on game day would be slammed. I'd go for BBQ over another chicken place too, since we've got plenty of those already.

My vote is a real coffee shop though, something local with a drive-thru. Panera's fine, but it's always packed and I can never find a table when I'm trying to get work done. Mills Park side could use one too, it's a haul out to I-30 just for a decent latte.

Either way I hope they get the drainage sorted. That lot flooded pretty bad in the last big rain, from what I could see driving by.

Ronald, you might be right about fall 😅 I keep telling myself "any week now" and then I drive by and it's the same empty lot. Stormwater fixes aren't fast, and it sounds like nobody's in a hurry to pour concrete on a spot that already floods.

Jayden's point about the lot flooding in that last big rain actually makes me feel a little better about the delay. If the drainage is bad enough that you could see it from the road, I'd rather they take their time than have Panera's neighbor turn into a swamp every April. Still, I'm ready for something to happen over there.

And a local coffee shop with a drive-thru would be a great one for Mills Park side. Plenty of part-time jobs in that too, which you know I'll bring up 🙂 If anybody hears anything from the city about the site plan, post it here and I'll do the same.

Hope this helps