Who wants pizza?

The Batesville Planning Commission will hear a proposal at their meeting on Monday, March 25, from an architecture firm that proposes to remodel a dowtown building to open a Pizza Hut franchise.

The property located at 126 Public Square has housed many businesses over the years, including The Tavern, a bar/restaurant that enjoyed moderate success before closing years ago.

What is proposed for the building now is a delivery/carryout only Pizza Hut, popular in places where the sit-down restaurant model is no longer economically feasible for the parent company.

Pizza Hut built one of the first corporately owned restaurants in Batesville and operated it for decades until its closure about four years ago.

Represenatives from Lickel Architecture of Shawnee, KS, submitted the application to the Code Office and asked to be on the agenda for Monday’s meeting at City Hall.

The establishment will have no seating and is asking to having operating hours from 10 a.m. to midnight. The application said four to six employees will be hired for each shift.

A special exception is needed to open in the Downtown Business District and the project will have to be approved by both the Planning Commission and the Board of Aldermen.

If permitted, Pizza Hut will paint the exterior bricks (presumaby Pizza Hut red) and replace the front door and adjacent windows. A new awning will also be part of the remodel.

Also on the agenda for the Planning Commission’s meeting is a proposal from Murphy USA to tear down the existing Murphy USA building and gas pumps at the 201 House-Carlson Drive location and build a new 1,400 sq. foot building and install updated fuel pumps.

The proposed design will be presented by Pan American Engineers, LLC, of Alexandria, LA.

Chief Building Official Andy Berryhill said he has met with representatives of Murphy USA about the project, and was informed the new building will be on the model of the company’s larger locations and will include a walk-in convenience store with additional ammenities.

The current Murphy USA in Batesville is a walk-up only business for transactions with a few sundry items at the point of retail.