“Parkman as we’ve known it will be no longer.” – Dennis Ikeler
After enduring many years of empty buildings and commercial stagnation, Parkman Township’s main intersection of U.S. Route 422 and state Route 528 will soon undergo major changes, but while trustees applaud the development, some in the community are concerned the downtown will look more like “one big truck stop.”
The remarks came near the end of the May 15 township trustees meeting, when residents told trustees about confusion over the post office closing, resulting problems with mail delivery and continued problems with truckers using loud engine brakes as they drive through the township on U.S. Route 422, a major truck route between Cleveland and Warren.
Trustee Dennis Ikeler agreed the use of “jake brakes” is a chronic problem. Although signs are posted banning the use of engine brakes near the township’s downtown intersection, he said the ban is difficult, even impossible, to enforce.
Trustee Jon Ferguson gave an update on major changes soon to come to the intersection, including Ohio Department of Transportation’s plans to widen the intersection and add turning lanes sometime this summer.
The long-abandoned Cromwell Building on the northwest corner was demolished last week in preparation for the construction project.
In addition, owners of the current BP gas station and mini mart, on the northeast corner, plan to demolish two adjacent houses north of the station, take down the Post House Restaurant to the east, tear down the existing gas station, and re-build a much larger truck stop with a mini mart, Ferguson said.
Plans are also in the works to commercially develop the south side of Route 422 through the downtown area, he added.
“Parkman as we’ve known it will be no longer,” Ikeler said.
Ferguson said the township will keep the gazebo and small park in the center of town, even though trustees recently sold a small parcel on the south side of Route 422 to an adjacent property owner who needed it as a driveway.
“Nothing will happen to the gazebo,” said Ferguson, but owners of the former U.S. Post Office building plan to restore the 170-year-old brick structure for commercial use, and other property owners plan new commercial buildings nearby.
Ferguson said postal officials have removed an old safe and other material from the old building.
“It’s really torn up,” the trustee said, adding the heavy safe had damaged the building’s floor and caused the interior walls to shift.
In addition, flooding from frozen pipes damaged the floor during the past winter.
“The owner is going to make it structurally sound and restore it,” Trustee Roger Anderson said, adding “a couple of people” have expressed interest in renting the building.
Zoning Inspector John Spelich told trustees a Warren-based real estate agent contacted him recently to express an interest in commercial property in the township.
“She has a client interested in building a gas station and mini mart,” Spelich told trustees, who received the news without enthusiasm.
“We don’t want Parkman to be one big truck stop,” an unidentified man in the audience said.
In other discussion, Henry and Dixie Warner, Grove Road residents who live just over the line in Troy Township but who had a post office box in Parkman, complained that transferring postal service to Middlefield temporarily has been chaotic.
The Parkman Post Office closed May 1 after losing its lease. About 100 Parkman residents affected by the change have been given an option to continue using a post office box in Middlefield or receiving home delivery from one of four adjacent post offices.
Trustees are optimistic the USPS will be able to find a new location in Parkman to re-establish a post office.
Henry Warner told trustees he has not been receiving mail in his new post office box at Middlefield.
“I called the 800 number to complain and was told they are doing all they can,” he said. “They have all they can handle right now.”
“It’s in a mess,” Anderson agreed. “The post office box records are out of date and there are months of accumulated mail at the post office. It’s a head butting contest.”
Ferguson said Middlefield postal officials are doing the best they can in a difficult situation over which they have no control. He lauded USPS Area Coordinator Mari Beth Kirkland and Middlefield Postmaster Wanda Sly for their efforts to make the transition as smooth as possible.
“They dumped this in their laps,” Anderson said of Kirkland. “Both of them are overwhelmed.”
“The (postal service) won’t be in a hurry to replace a little post office like ours,” Parkman resident Margaret Mowers said.
Ferguson said he would contact Kirkland and pass on the comments.
