Adele’s site may become part of Carson City gas station

The Planning Commission will consider a special use permit to expand the gas station at the northwest corner of Carson and William streets to the property now occupied by Café at Adele’s shuttered restaurant.

The move would involve tearing down the historic building to install two more gas pumps for RVs and other oversized vehicles at the ExtraMile convenience store site and Chevron gas station.

“The property is in escrow but the due diligence has not been completed,” said Brad Bonkowski, CCIM, NAI Alliance, the broker on Café at Adele’s property.

The property has been for sale since early 2018. The restaurant closed in March after a fire in the laundry area and its owners, Charlie and Karen Abowd, worked with their insurance provider to cover the cost of a $1.5 million renovation, but in October they announced the restaurant would not reopen. Most recently, Adele’s neon “BAR” sign was moved to Js’ Old Town Bistro in Dayton, owned by Charlie Abowd’s cousin, Jerry Massad.

The proposed project to expand the gas station went through a major project review with Carson City’s Planning Division in October at the request of Frank Lepori Construction.

The project would require a special use permit because it is zoned downtown mixed use.

The review reiterated code and development standards that would need to be met and noted that the property is designated main street mixed use, meaning it should retain “the traditional ‘Main Street’ character and scale of Carson Street.”

“During the meeting, it was discussed that traditional materials could be incorporated into the canopy design, outdoor table could be added outside the store, bike related items could be incorporated, the landscaping palette of the downtown with the walls could be continued, etc.,” reads the review.

The Planning Commission on Dec. 17 will also be considering a tentative map for Andersen Ranch Estates, a 203-lot residential development proposed on Andersen Ranch between Mountain Street and Ormsby Boulevard.