Albion approves zoning change for lot next to Crosby’s

Photo by Tom Rivers: Reid Petroleum, owner of Crosby’s, knocked down a house next to the convenience store and gas station at the corner of routes 98 and 31. The company is looking to add parking at the vacant lot, and also put in new underground fuel tanks.

ALBION – The Village Board approved a zoning change sought by the owner of Crosby’s as the company seeks to make two parcels into one lot.

Reid Petroleum, owner of Crosby’s, in March had a house demolished next to the Crosby’s at the southwest corner of routes 98 and 31. The house used to be a doctor’s office and was zoned residential-commercial.

The Village Board on Wednesday agreed to change the zoning at 210 South Main St. to general commercial to match the zoning for the Crosby’s store.

Crosby’s wants to add 10 more parking spaces to the now vacant land. The company also wants to have two new 20,000-gallon underground storage tanks, with those tanks partly on the lot next to Crosby’s.

John Pastore, director of Real Estate at Reid Petroleum, told village officials on April 10 that the company also would like to eventually add four electric charging stations for vehicles in the future, and they would likely be the faster-charging level 3 units.

The plan for the now vacant land also includes an outdoor sitting area, expanded dumpster coral, 6-foot high fencing and landscaping.

Pastore said the land acquisition gives Crosby’s a chance for better traffic circulation at the Albion store, which he said is one of the company’s best-performing sites.

Village attorney John Gavenda said he is concerned the zoning change could lead to more houses being taken down on South Main for commercial development.

Pastore said Crosby’s plans to renovate the existing store with no plans to make the building bigger.

Village Trustee Greg Bennett noted Crosby’s has three stores in the 14411 zip code. He said he would like to see the company give back more to the community.