Commercial property being developed

Business Today

POPLAR BLUFF -- With the development of the U.S. 67 Bypass and the expansion of Route PP, commercial development is also taking place off PP near Pike Creek, in what used to be Deerfield Estates.

Danny Hogg of Doniphan is developing 70 acres of land for commercial building. He says he is reasonably sure that three of those plots are spoken for -- an insurance office, a glass company and a convenience store.

The way Cherry Creek Center is currently platted, there are three lots that can accommodate three large anchor stores of 70,000 square feet or more. On the other side of Cherry Creek, a tributary off Pike Creek, 32 lots are sectioned off for development.

Hogg is moving dirt and getting the land ready for the city to bring in water and sewer lines.

"It will take a while," Hogg said. "It's a big project moving over a million cubic yards of dirt and redistributing it."

While he hasn't signed any leases yet, Hogg said he has had inquiries and conversations with major stores and some smaller ones..

"Wal-Mart has asked me for drawings. I've also contacted Lowe's and spoken with them. That does not mean it's going to happen. I'm just negotiating and trying to interest various big businesses like Lowe's, Wal-Mart and Target," said Hogg.

Hogg said he would also like to see a Home Service Center or Home Depot locate at Cherry Creek, and maybe a Kmart.

Ed Dust, executive director of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, said that Cherry Creek will be a positive force in that area.

"With the development of the Route PP project will also come a great deal of development on both sides commercially," Dust said, "and that will have a tremendous impact on our retail growth in the future."