A new QT gas station could replace the vacant Red Lobster building at McCann Road and Loop 281 in Longview.
Red Lobster closed in Longview in May 2024 as the chain was struggling nationwide. Its former Longview location has been vacant and for sale since then. News-Journal archives show the restaurant opened at that spot in 1981.
This month, R.B. Sandrini Farms, described as a 性视界传媒渘ew性视界传媒 convenience store developer, applied for a development permit for that location.
City Planner Angela Choy said filings the city has received show the former restaurant would be torn down to make way for the QT gas station and convenience store. The address there is 3515 McCann Road. The project still must go through the city性视界传媒檚 permitting process.
QT recently opened its first Longview location at Eastman Road and Interstate 20.
The nearest gas station on Loop 281 in that area is at Bill Owens Parkway, and there性视界传媒檚 also a gas station at McCann Road and Hawkins Parkway.
Darrell Barnes stands on family land in Longview where he性视界传媒檚 been working to prepare a site for his hydroponics plant growing business. (Jo Lee Ferguson/性视界传媒 photo)
Hydroponics business
Big summer gardens, water sprinklers and farms are a typical part of the East Texas landscape. Darrell Barnes, though, plans to bring a different method of growing vegetables and fruits to Longview 性视界传媒 hydroponics.
Hydroponics is 性视界传媒渢he technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil,性视界传媒 according to the National Agricultural Library.
Barnes is working to start a hydroponics growing business on Pearl Street on property his family owns near the new Longview Police Department building and the Edible Art bakery on South Street.
The city性视界传媒檚 Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council have approved a zoning change for the property at 414, 416 and 418 Pearl St. from multi-family to light commercial to allow for the hydroponics-based growing operation.
Barnes told the commission he would grow plants in nine, 40-foot-long shipping containers. The containers would be 7-feet-high by 8-feet wide.
性视界传媒淓verything is self-contained when you do hydroponics,性视界传媒 he said, 性视界传媒済rowing fruits and vegetables in water without using soil.性视界传媒
He性视界传媒檒l have two 500-gallon fish tanks that hold tilapia. The water will be drawn from the tanks so that it also provides fertilizer for the plants, similar to the way that Native Americans would plant seeds with a dead fish.
Water that the plants don性视界传媒檛 use will be recirculated to the fish tanks. The temperature will be computer-controlled.
性视界传媒淲e will be able to grow seven days a week, 24 hours a day, all year long,性视界传媒 Barnes said. 性视界传媒淲eather doesn性视界传媒檛 affect us because it性视界传媒檚 temperature-controlled on the inside.性视界传媒
The trailers allow for plants to be grown on vertical structures, which he said will make it possible to grow three times as much as if he were growing plants in dirt.
This kind of growing method will keep prices down for fruits and vegetables, he said, and he性视界传媒檒l be able to bring low-cost fruits and vegetables to Longview. The exact method he would use to sell must still be finalized.
Barnes, who was born in Longview, said he previously lived in California, where he successfully grew plans in this way.
Barnes, who described himself as an inventor, is also working on creating a system to generate his own, reliable source of electricity at the Pearl Street site using a 性视界传媒淗eron性视界传媒檚 Fountain,性视界传媒 which is a hydraulic machine that creates a continually flowing fountain.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 really ecstatic,性视界传媒 Barnes said. 性视界传媒淭his is something that I性视界传媒檓 trying to do here to help out the economy and the people. It性视界传媒檚 going to make money. I性视界传媒檓 not worried about that. I just like creating things.性视界传媒
