By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
The Route 66 Pit Stop in downtown Yukon has moved one step closer to reality.
The Yukon Planning Commission on April 10 unanimously approved a conditional use permit for a proposed mixed-use development at 517 and 519 W Main.
The positive recommendation will be considered at an upcoming Yukon City Council meeting.
Project developer Justin Greenfield and his business partner Charles Bodiker want to bring a unique mixed-use facility offering a point of interest along historic Route 66 in Yukon.
“Route 66 is a destination point, but there really isn’t anything to do,” Bodiker said. “We wanted to have a destination point where you could actually do something besides fill up your car or get some food.”
Their Route 66 Pit Stop concept features family-friendly auto-related activities, a special automobile dealership, restaurants, coffee/ice cream shop, and other businesses in the buildings at 517 and 519 W Main; along with an outdoor gathering space for events and video/movie nights in an open lot on the west side.
This is a “passion project” for Greenfield and Bodiker, who believe this could become a destination point along the Mother Road while breathing life into downtown Yukon.
“We’re looking for something that’s long-range, something that gives people things to do,” Bodiker explained. “It’s an identified Route 66 project and we are wanting to do some sort of iconic statue on the street that really gives it character and that feeling you get when you run a Route 66 cruise.”
Greenfield – the property owner – and Bodiker – an architect – were talking a few months ago about what they could do with these two buildings that have been sitting vacant.
Both men love cars and quickly realized they should capitalize on the property’s prime location.
“We talked about 15 minutes, and we had the entire project figured out, honestly,” Bodiker told Yukon planning commissioners.
“We came up with six ideas in 15 minutes. That doesn’t mean there aren’t six more out there. And we’d like to pursue those.”
The building at 517 W Main previously was an auto repair shop.
Greenfield and Bodiker want to focus more on classic car restoration (think of the ’57 Chevy) and perhaps sell Land Rover Defender vehicles manufactured in the United Kingdom.
The building at 519 W Main would become a retail space with two to four tenants.
“Those tenants could be anything from a coffee shop to car repair or car parts, and even a restaurant that would serve beer and alcohol,” Bodiker said. “I want to be clear I’m not talking about a bar.”
He and Greenfield envision the outdoor space having a projection screen for Yukon content creators to display to a crowd, concrete ping pong tables with steel nets, food trucks, and a “Yukon Ride of the Week” that showcases cool cars, boats and trucks.
‘WANT A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE’
Bodiker believes the Route 66 Pit Stop will be a much-used venue in Main Street Yukon.
“We want a lot of people here,” he said. “That’s a good filler for a space that’s not otherwise occupied or being used during the week.”
No on-site parking is proposed at part of this development. Parking would be along Main and 5th streets in Yukon’s historic central business district.
“The hours that they’re proposing are different than a lot of (downtown) businesses; they wouldn’t overlap,” Yukon Assistant City Manager Mitchell Hort pointed out.
Asa Warlick, who owns a house on Cedar Avenue near the proposed Route 66 Pit Stop, addressed planning commissioners about parking congestion as the area continues to develop.
“The Flower Shop opened up in the past year or so, and the parking from there at 7th overflows sometimes onto that 500 block of Cedar, then covers the entire 600 block,” Warlick said, referring to the winery’s live music nights.
“Me and the rest of the neighbors on my street are really just concerned about the parking. We really don’t want to have a situation to where we can’t get out and get in.”
Yukon Planning Commissioner Nick Grba realizes the city is trying to attract new businesses to Route 66 downtown.
“It’s obvious that parking is an issue and something, I think, as a city we need to address,” Grba said. “That’s something we’ll probably start looking at really hard – what other options we have to help get people we want to come down there to have a place to park. And not end up irritating the people who live there.”
The Yukon Planning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the conditional use permit for the Route 66 Pit Stop. Several conditions were added:
- Site-proofing screening will be required along the alley consisting of a minimum 6-foot opaque fence or dense vegetation to block noise and light from adjacent neighbors. Access from the alley will be from a maximum 30-foot driveway.
- Established hours of operation for food trucks and outdoor events will be Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight.
- Electronic messaging displays will not be permitted.
