Business & Tech

Downtown Lake Elsinore Building To Be Demolished, New 7-Eleven Moving In

The 1.13-acre site for the convenience retailer is 515 N. Main Street, the same location of the now-closed Union 76 gas station.

With a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Lake Elsinore Planning Commission welcomed 7-Eleven’s plans to open a new store and gas station on Main Street in historic downtown.

“It’s a welcome improvement for the corner,” Vice Commission Chair Mike O’Neal said of the project’s location at 515 N. Main Street near the 15 Freeway.

Commission Shelly Jordan was absent for Tuesday’s vote.

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Although city council must still approve the project, there were few indications the development will get stalled.

The 1.13-acre site for the convenience retailer is the same location of the now-closed Union 76 gas station. 7-Eleven plans to demolish the existing structure and contruct a new 3,010-square-foot building to take its place. The design will complement the architectural style of historic downtown: A red brick façade and green trim are being incorporated to match City Hall located a few blocks down the street.

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The existing fuel pumps and canopy at the site would be retrofitted, and Lake Elsinore’s Acting Planning Manager Richard Machott gave assurances Tuesday night that existing fuel tanks at the location have been tested. There are no leaks and therefore no plans to replace the tanks, Machott said.

There were two primary issues Tuesday that concerned the commissioners and some members of the public about the project: the impact the around-the-clock retailer’s clientele will have on downtown neighbors, and a giant sign that goes with the property.

The 7-Eleven location abuts residential neighbors to the west. The retailer will be open 24/7, and from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. beer and wine will be sold at the site. Noise, drunkenness, crime, and lights could impact neighbors’ quality of life, one resident argued.

The retailer has agreed to plant a  “dense screen” of tall, thick landscaping on its west-facing property line to wall off noise and lights. As for drunkenness, Tom Bergerson of DMB Architects said his client’s plans were submitted to the Lake Elsinore Police Department for review and no concerns were noted. DMB has been hired by 7-Eleven to design the new store.

7-Eleven’s location at the 15 Freeway may be a target for robbers, but Bergerson said his client “has an advanced security program.” Details of that program were not discussed.

There was also concern about the big pylon sign that has long stood on the property. In recent years, the towering white landmark with the big circular sign had the word “Gas” emblazoned on it in bright, red lettering. When the gas station closed down, a giant white wrapper was eventually placed over the sign, much to the dismay of residents and business owners who couldn’t decide which was worse, a gas monument at the city’s gateway or a sheath disguising it.

7-Eleven sees the sign as a great marketing tool: The company wants to install its famous green, orange, red and white logo on the sign. Directly beneath the retailer’s trademark will be a large City of Lake Elsinore sign, which is yet to be designed by the city. It was decided Tuesday that the cost to make, install and maintain the Lake Elsinore sign should be borne by the city.

Lake Elsinore resident Tim Fleming disagreed with placing the Lake Elsinore logo below 7-Eleven’s and said the city’s branding should come first.

“That’s not acceptable – that does not say Lake Elsinore,” he said.

The commissioners will get a second pass at the Lake Elsinore sign once designs are submitted for review by city staff.


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