Cincinnati semi-trailer dealership plans move to Franklin off I-75

A rendering of the proposed 53,241-square-foot Interstate Utility Trailer retail, rental and repair business on property off Commerce Center Drive adjacent to Interstate 75 in Franklin. CONTRIBUTED

A rendering of the proposed 53,241-square-foot Interstate Utility Trailer retail, rental and repair business on property off Commerce Center Drive adjacent to Interstate 75 in Franklin. CONTRIBUTED

A large semi-trailer dealership based in Cincinnati is planning a relocation to Franklin on property off Interstate 75 to expand its reach to the north.

Interstate Utility Trailer submitted plans to the city to construct a 53,200-square-foot retail, rental and repair business.

A public hearing on the major site plan is scheduled during the 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Franklin Planning Commission meeting in the city building at 1 Benjamin Franklin Way.

The building is proposed on undeveloped land on Commerce Center Drive with an east property line adjacent to I-75.

“I think we’re on the map, which is good. I think people are paying attention to us,” City Manager Jonathan Westendorf said of the construction application.

The proposed building would include 16 service bays — which would not be visible from Commerce Center Drive — a retail parts showroom, parts storage warehouse and office space. There also would be 61 parking spaces for employees and customers, and 210 trailer parking spaces, according to a city report.

A rendering showing eight of the 16 bays of the proposed 53,241-square-foot Interstate Utility Trailer retail, rental and repair business on property off Commerce Center Drive adjacent to Interstate 75 in Franklin. CONTRIBUTED

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The business sells, rents and services trailers, but not the tractors that pull them.

A timeline for the project, if approved by the planning commission and city council, is not yet available.

However, the project has other approvals to clear before any construction could begin. The company would have to seek proposal for a ground sign on the site and said it plans to seek a variance for eight-foot high fencing that exceeds height limits, according to project details.

Interstate Utility Trailer was established in 1975 in Cincinnati and is one of the largest semi-trailer dealerships in North America, according to its website. The business has locations in Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis and Louisville.

A rendering showing eight of the 16 bays of the proposed 53,241-square-foot Interstate Utility Trailer retail, rental and repair business on property off Commerce Center Drive adjacent to Interstate 75 in Franklin. CONTRIBUTED

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