Dunkin' Donuts owners hosting forum, proposing relocation

Karah Wilson, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Jun. 28—The owners of the Dunkin' Donuts restaurant at 3011 Frederica St. want to relocate the business to the corner of Frederica Street and Wildwood Drive, part of the Wesleyan Heights subdivision.

The properties at 2805 and 2811 Frederica Street, the proposed sites of the Dunkin' Donuts relocation, were acquired by Sita Devi, LLC in April 2009. Nita Patel, owner of Dunkin' Donuts, is listed as the agent for Sita Devi.

In a letter sent to residents in the subdivision signed by "a concerned neighbor," it states that the owners of the land are "now considering dividing the land into multiple lots and plan to build a home on each lot for halfway housing."

The letter also states this is an "alternative plan" if the Dunkin' Donuts relocation "doesn't succeed" because the halfway housing would allow the property to remain residential.

Patel said she was unaware of who sent the letter to residents in the subdivision but that she was "working on figuring it out." She said the plan is to relocate the Dunkin' Donuts to that location.

Melissa Evans, associate director of planning with Owensboro Planning & Zoning, said no plans have been submitted to the Owensboro Planning & Zoning office, and she has not talked with anyone about the property.

Evans said everything from Wildwood Drive to James H. Davis Funeral Home and Crematory on Frederica Street is zoned as single-family residential, meaning it would have to be rezoned for any commercial property looking to build in that location.

Patel said the reason for relocating the existing Dunkin' Donuts, which opened in 2011, is because of traffic issues.

"We're very busy in the mornings, and sometimes the traffic can be backed up to as far as Subway," she said. "We don't want there to be continued traffic that could potentially lead to wrecks."

According to a second letter sent out to Wesleyan Heights subdivision residents, a meeting will be held at 5 p.m. today at the Owensboro Convention Center for Dunkin' Donuts' owners and homeowners in the area to discuss the potential move.

A more in-depth outline of the proposal will be provided at the meeting, according to the letter.