An abandoned building, formerly a Checkers restaurant off of Murfreesboro Pike, has long gathered trash and graffiti on its property.
ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WKRN) — An abandoned building, formerly a Checkers restaurant off of Murfreesboro Pike, has long gathered trash and graffiti on its property.
However, the property now has a permit for demolition that the councilmember for that area is seeing through.
Located along Murfreesboro Pike near the intersection of Hamilton Church Road, the abandoned building has been called an “eyesore” since 2018.
“Driving past it every time is kind of cringe just a little bit, you know, especially when there is graffiti, trash, and tall grass,” said Antioch resident Anthony Coon.
District 32 Metro Councilmember Joy Styles said she stepped in, covered up the graffiti and picked up the trash. The most recent cleanup was getting the grass mowed.
“Because that property is in a community, and it affects the community and the people around it, and it is selfish and inconsiderate when you do nothing with it and just say, ‘I’ll just wait until I feel like doing something with it,'” said Styles.
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“Antioch is often looked at as being trash,” Coon told News 2. “It doesn’t help reputation as we are trying to do good things and trying to bring new growth and revitalization to Antioch. Having something like that doesn’t do any favors for us.”
By 2019, the restaurant was abandoned, and the building deteriorated. In August, a demolition permit was filed.
“You are supposed to do demolition within 30 days once you’ve done that,” Styles explained. “They are over their 30 days, so now I’m waiting for legal to say I am okay to move forward.”
Styles added that Metro Legal is deciding the following legal actions. In the meantime, Metro is considering tearing the former business down on its own.
“Are we fining them?” Styles asked. “Are we taking them to court? What are we doing exactly? But we don’t need to let it languish while they continue to not do the right thing by the community and by our community members.”
Coon agreed with that sentiment. “We need to move forward and put something there that the community will like to have, like to see there,” he expressed.
For some residents, the possibilities of what will be replace the business are endless.
“Something that the community wants and shows that we are on the rebound,” Coon added. Something that shows we are revitalized.”