New Shops Coming to Paradise Green

The owner of Paradise Pizza has purchased the nearby Mobil lot at Paradise Green and intends to construct a 6,000-square-foot retail complex at the location.

“We approved final plans three months ago,” says planning and zoning administrator Gary Lorentson, adding that the acquisition of a building permit is all that awaits construction.


Jim Tsichlas, who owns several buildings at Paradise Green, bought the property from the gas giant about a year and a half ago, says Lorentson.

“It’s a beautifully-looking building,” Lorentson says of the proposed two-story, L-shaped building.

The administrator says he doesn’t know what type of retail shops will eventually occupy the space. About 20 parking spaces will be offered.

Although it seems like a new development is now imminent, Lorentson says the process to bring new business to the old gas station revealed how difficult it is to strike a deal with Mobil, the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, according to its website.

“(There are) so many strings attached to a deal,” he says.

One apparent stipulation is that the old building cannot be demolished, Lorentson says. So it will become part of the new complex.

Head a mile and a half south on Main Street and there’s another eyesore courtesy of Mobil.

The old station on the corner of Main Street and Stratford Avenue is on the market, says Lorentson.

“Mobil is actively selling the property,” he says.

A proposal to bring a Krauszer’s to the location fizzled out after the convenience store failed to submit a final plan, Lorentson says.

The administrator says nearby Gaetano’s showed interest in purchasing the lot but that was stymied because the sandwich shop wanted to take down the old building and Mobil wouldn’t allow it, citing environmental concerns.