Popeye’s site work underway next to CVS Pharmacy

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Construction on a Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen will soon be under way in Copperas Cove. 
Site work has already begun on the property, located at 1501 E. Bus. 190 next to CVS, with construction permits being approved on February 21.
It’s not been confirmed yet what kind of a performance agreement, if any, Popeye’s has requested from the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation this time around.
However, back in November 2015 the EDC board initially approved an infrastructure reimbursement for up to $70,000 regarding a different piece of property but the project never went through at that location. 
The CCEDC has been working with Popeye’s intermittently since June 2014 on a restaurant site in Copperas Cove. The Leader-Press has been unable to confirm with Popeye’s the timetable for the new restaurant. 
During its monthly meeting on Wednesday, the CCEDC board held an executive session and emerged to vote its approval of two performance agreements for, one yet unconfirmed as to which business project, and the other for El Corral. The longtime drive-through/walk-up Mexican food establishment is expanding and building a larger site not far from their current location on Business 190. 
The CCEDC also voted to accept a proposal for clearing about 60 acres of The Narrows Business & Technology Park, with that proposal coming from TTG Utilities of Gatesville, at a cost of $141,091.15. 
A committee heard presentations from the top three vendors on Tuesday. That committee, said interim EDD director Diane Drussell, was made up of herself, board members Marcie Lowery and Joey Acfalle, with parks and recreation director Joe Brown and finance director Velia Key also providing input. 
The board also gave Drussell the go-ahead to get prices for a feasibility study for a possible speculative building in The Narrows. During the EDC’s planning session in January, interim EDC director Mark Marquez recommended the EDC board consider looking into constructing a building at The Narrows and putting it up for sale or leasing it to a company. The EDC constructed a speculative building years ago, which was eventually purchased by Cinergy Cinemas. 
The board voted to approve the EDC’s financial report for January 2018, and approved releasing EDC funds to the City of Copperas Cove for payroll charges of Economic Development Department employees along with a quarterly payment to the city for staff services for December 2017 and January 2018 where it concerns the EDC. City staff services for those two months amount to $1,931.52 and $2,110.21, respectively. 
It also okayed a budget amendment of $90,330 for the addition of personnel to the EDC staff for the current fiscal year.