Construction for Raeford Road Chick-fil-A to begin after the holidays

By Andrew Barksdale Staff writer

Construction on a long-awaited Chick-fil-A store on Raeford Road near Haymount could begin early next year, the developer of the site says.

Last week, Fayetteville developer Joe Riddle cleared one last important hurdle when the N.C. Department of Transportation approved a driveway permit allowing the store's parking lot to have limited access to Raeford Road.

The 1.25-acre site is along the intersection of Raeford Road and Purdue Drive, across from the Highland Centre shopping center anchored by Harris-Teeter.

Riddle, who bought the land and cleared it of older buildings, said an official with the Chick-fil-A corporate office in Atlanta has told him construction is scheduled to start after the holidays.

"Now, they are talking about January," said Riddle, who will retain ownership of the land after the store is built and opened.

The new restaurant will give Chick-fil-A four locations in Fayetteville. The others are on Skibo Road, Ramsey Street and in Cross Creek Mall.

Tommy Arnold, the chain's local franchisee, said earlier this year that he expected construction to begin after the start of the new year. He could not be reached for comment this morning. He owns the Chick-fil-As on Skibo Road and in the mall.

At a Fayetteville City Council meeting last week, Mayor Nat Robertson asked Scott Shuford, the city's development services director, if the city was holding up construction of the new Chick-fil-A. Shuford said no, adding that Riddle and company officials were waiting on permission from the state Department of Transportation to have access to a busy Raeford Road.

Robertson, who was elected in November, had campaigned on wanting to ease some of the city's development rules and speed up the permitting and planning process for developers.

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Construction for Raeford Road Chick-fil-A to begin after the holidays