No plans for former Pizza King location

The corner of Preston and Mission Streets will remain vacant while the owners determine the best use for the property.

“We have some other things sort of on hold for that whole development,” said Jerome Fine, general counsel of Bobenal Investments, Inc.

It was the location of Pizza King, The Store and The Hip Hop Shop, 714 E. Preston St., until an arson fire destroyed the building in September 2007.

Since then, the property, owned by Bobenal Investments Inc. of East Lansing, has remained vacant and undeveloped.

“Originally, coming out of the fire, we had discussed, designed and even obtained city approval for a multi-story mixed use building,” Fine said.

The business was set ablaze in Sept. 2007 when former manager Evan Thomas Desjardins poured gasoline and set the business on fire Sept. 16, 2007. Desjardins was found guilty of setting fire to the business, as well as stealing $30,000 and was sent to prison in June 2008.

Bobenal was planning on a building with retail on the first floor and residential on the second and third floors. This plan was sent back to the drawing board after the economic
downturn, Fine said.

“Another pizza shop would be really cool, a locally-owned pizza shop,” said Jeff Grasso, a Woodhaven junior.

He felt something like Pizza King would be a good decision.

Many other students also felt another food shop would be the best choice for the corner.

“Probably another food place, a non-chain though, something that is local,” said West Bloomfield junior Katie Roshirt.

Chris Lozen has other ideas.

“If you put a Sonic there, you would probably bank,” the Clinton Township junior said.

Bobenal still thinks this is an excellent location, Fine said, and the company is just waiting for the economy to resolve itself.