A vacant storefront is undergoing the first stages of a renovation, one that is supposed to lead to Centre County’s first medical marijuana dispensary.
The Centre Region Code Agency recently issued a demolition permit for the interior of the building at 2105 N. Atherton St., the former site of El Jalisco, which closed in 2015, according to CRCA plan examiner Ned Liggett. PA Health and Wellness LLC’s plans for the medical marijuana dispensary’s opening in State College might fall behind schedule or not happen at all for reasons out of the company’s control.
A lawsuit recently filed on behalf of Bethlehem-based Keystone ReLeaf LLC has asked that all awarded permits be rescinded and start from scratch in the state. The company failed to win a permit to grow and process marijuana in the state and was two days late submitting an application.
The lawsuit said that “no applicant understands how or why they scored a certain score in any category.” It also alleged the Department of Health has not explained how permits were approved or declined.
DOH representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
PA Health and Wellness LLC anticipated its permit to be approved June 1, but the dispensary wasn’t green lit until four weeks later. The company was also supposed to submit design plans for the building in June and tenant improvements were to be complete in early October. Fit-out plans for the property have not been submitted by PA Health and Wellness LLC, Liggett said.
The state DOH gave dispensary permit recipients six months to become operational. PA Health and Wellness LLC co-founder Mark Steinmetz did not respond to requests for comment.
The business, which has leased space for five years, scheduled in its permit application a soft opening in early December and a grand opening on New Year’s Day 2018.
credit:centredaily.com
