The view from I-75 North reveals the downtown district of the Village of Mackinaw City. The Lieghio family hopes that the unusual design of their new restaurant, converting the existing building of the former Total gas station (far right) to resemble a hot dog and bun, will catch the eye of passers-by from I-75. The 150-foot by 150- foot lot has been idle five years. Families visiting Mackinaw City soon will have another choice when finding a place to grab a hot dog and an affordable meal, if the Lieghio family is allowed to build a new restaurant. They will need only to look for a building shaped like a hot dog in a bun, on the corner of Central Avenue and Nicolet Street.

New site plans for the proposed fast food restaurant were reviewed and a recommendation was given by Mackinaw City's Planning Commission at its meeting Thursday, February 26, to encourage the Village Council to approve the plans.

Council will review the site plans and the recommendation at its meeting Thursday, March 5.

The proposed business would be on the site of the former Total gas station, on a 150-foot by 150-foot lot. The station and its standing sign still remain, however, the buried fuel tanks were removed within six months of the gas station closing five years ago.

The Lieghios plan to remodel the existing building, adding design features of a hot dog in a bun lying on its side. There are no architectural restrictions in the village's ordinances so there are no objections from village officials to such a unique building design, said Jeff Lawson, village manager.

Because it is in the village's gateway commercial district, the project also does not have to meet any green space requirements.

The village ordinance requires the Lieghios to provide at least 18 parking spaces. Mr. Lawson said the plans include almost twice that many spaces for parking.

The restaurant would have indoor and outdoor seating, with a total estimated capacity of 40 patrons, a drive-through window, and a menu selection of sandwiches, burgers, ice cream, and many kinds of hot dogs.

"The idea was to provide families a place to come where they can get a fast, affordable meal in town," said Chris Brown, project designer and builder for the Lieghio family.

Joe Lieghio, spokesman for the family business that owns 11 hotels, four restaurants, and two miniature golf courses in Mackinaw City, said they plan to build immediately, once Village Council approves the plans.

The site is on a stoplight intersection, in clear sight of passers-by traveling on I-75, going to and from the Mackinac Bridge.

Planning Commissioner Rosada Mann voiced her concerns of traffic back-up at the intersection with the stand allowing vehicles to exit and enter onto Central Avenue, however, the rest of the commission agreed, as did she after a brief discussion of other possibilities, that the existing layout of the entrances and exits of the lot was suitable, considering the lot's location.

Because of its unique features, the hot dog stand, which has not yet been named, has big potential to draw more people into the small community's downtown district, which helps the entire business community, said Mr. Lieghio.

"We want to capitalize on the I- 75 traffic," said Mr. Lieghio in a telephone interview with The St. Ignace News Friday, February 27. "If people on I-75 see something like this, they're going to identify that with food, and maybe they'll come into Mackinaw City to have a bite to eat, and then they'll see there's more that Mackinaw City has to offer, and they'll see other places that interest them."

The design of the building will have a 1950s style, said Mr. Lieghio, which is a deliberate business tactic to catch the consumer's eye.

"It's just another good experience for visitors coming to Mackinaw City," he said. "It's giving them something they don't see downstate. People will come here just to take photographs of themselves there. It's an old-fashioned, nostalgic design in a good way."

He referenced a unique design with one of the Lieghio family's other sit-down restaurants in town, the Dixie Saloon, which has had great success in drawing in visitors, owing, in part, to its log design that he believes attracts people to the establishment.

"Despite the recession and bad economy, we've had the best January and February ever there," he said.

If the hot dog stand does well, the family intends to keep it open year-around, said Mr. Lieghio.