Plan Commission Approves Dan Hecht Expansion, New Bank

The Effingham City Plan Commission has approved site plans for an expansion at Dan Hecht Chevrolet/Toyota and a new location in Effingham for Teutopolis State Bank.

The Dan Hecht expansion is underway, including a 5,000 square foot expansion of their body shop, and additional showroom and office space.

The other site plan approved Tuesday is for an Effingham branch of Teutopolis State Bank along Jefferson Avenue across from St. John's Lutheran Church. The 2,300 square foot project will include a drive-thru lane and an ATM lane. Employee parking will be located along the north side of the property.

The Plan Commission recommended City Council approval of a rezoning of property at 415 W. Virginia Avenue. The former Planned Parenthood location has been acquired by Roy and Kaye Dent, two local attorneys to be utilized for a law office. The property is located in the hospital plan district, but the hospital declined the opportunity to acquire the site.

Commissioners also recommended Council approval of two subdivision plats. One is the first addition to Park Ridge Subdivision, being developed by Keith Hartman. Four duplexes are being planned along the north side of Blohm Avenue, across from the Effingham VFW property. The other is the Meyer Oil Subdivision along South Banker Street. The plat was approved a year ago, but no development took place for more than a year after the earlier approval, so the plat had to be reapproved last night. A third plat was for the apartment development off North Willow Street owned by Joey and Manny Trupiano, replatting three lots into one, but the size of the project did not require approval by the Commission and will go direct to the City Council for a vote.