Family Enterprises LLC – owned and operated by Phil Roberts and family – just purchased the four-story Loch Raven Building off the bypass on New Hartford Road. Roberts and his partners at 4 Cats LLC also previously secured 1 acre across the street and have plans to erect a 9,000-square-foot strip center.
Sean Byrne, one of the partners at 4 Cats, said the group has aspirations to open a Donatos Pizza and a KORT Physical Therapy in the strip center, leaving an additional space available. Though nearly twice the size, the new strip will mimic the aesthetics of the one they recently opened on Frederica Street that houses Tropical Smoothie Cafe and KORT.
“We hope to begin construction in the next month and be selling pizza by the end of the year,” Byrne said. “KY 231 is loaded with potential. I constantly have people asking me when we’re going to open something like Donatos on the east side of town.”
Byrne is also in the midst of opening a new Tropical Smoothie in the Gateway Commons to pair with the other seven locations that are either open or in the works. He’s entertaining various options for the vacant end cap at the new facility, including bringing another franchise to Owensboro.
Regarding the Loch Raven Building, Roberts purchased the more than 25,000-square-foot, four-story tower with his family in mind. His son recently graduated from high school and joined the family business, while his daughter Madison is nearing completion of a bachelor’s degree in business.
“My daughter has expressed an interest in learning more about real estate, and there’s no better way than diving into a project,” Roberts said. “We want to do a good job on the remodel and provide a finished product that the entire family can be proud of.”
Like his partners at 4 Cats, Roberts firmly believes in the New Hartford Road corridor and cited the structure’s proximity to the bypass as promising. He said it offers an affordable alternative to a location on KY 54 that might go for $28-$30 per square foot.
“I believe in Owensboro, and I believe in this corridor,” he said. “Being just off the bypass, we’re only 7-8 minutes from nearly any part of town. The space will make a great place for a medical or dental practice and offer offices ranging from 800 to 2,500 square feet.”
Roberts said the internal structure is made entirely of precast concrete and is in excellent shape. They plan to add a new roof, paint, and more, amounting to a roughly one-year remodel that will likely exceed the $550,000 he gave for the building.
