By Maurice Emery
Editor Emeritus

Approximately twelve acres adjacent to Mordecai’s Restaurant will be converted to a mini mall and office space if it makes it through the various town approvals necessary. The first stop on the road to approval was Monday night at a Public Hearing by the Littleton Town Board of Commissioners. The meeting was convened so the town commissioners could consider a request to rezone the property from residential agriculture to commercial.
Charles Bennett of Warrenton told the town board at Monday nights Public that he plans to put a complex consisting of fourteen to eighteen shopping and office spaces. The complex will sit on approximately twelve acres of land. It appeared that the local citizens attending the hearing were all in favor of the rezoning.
The only objection to the complex came in the form of a letter from James B. Jenkins who was against rezoning. Thumper Johnson of Mordecai’s created the only other hurdle that has to be overcome before the board can approve the rezoning. Johnson told the Board that any development in the area is a big plus. His only concern was with the survey. Johnson feels the survey is off and if approved Mordecai’s would loose about thirty feet of road frontage. All parties agreed that they would correct the survey before proceeding.
Charles Bennett plans to build the complex with his son Gary. According to Bennett this is the first time that they will be building a shopping and office complex in North Carolina. He did tell the Observer that he has owned a shopping center in Virginia.
Bennett impressed upon everyone that he plans to build a complex with no junk stores in it and it will not be a hangout.