By By JAN GRIFFEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- The Home Depot, apparently, is a go in Niles Township.
Niles Township Building Inspector Van Thornton confirmed Thursday afternoon he has received a preliminary site plan from engineers representing The Home Depot.
Rumors for several weeks have had the company constructing a store in Niles at the site of the former K-Mart on South 11th Street in Niles.
However, Home Depot officials said recently they are scouting a number of locations in Southwestern Michigan and have no commitments in place to locate in Niles Township.
Thornton said the preliminary site plan does not mean the construction of a store here is a done deal.
Thornton said the preliminary plans call for the demolition of the existing Kmart building and the construction of a new building that is actually "a little bit smaller" than the Kmart building.
Thornton said the next step would be for the firm to submit construction drawings for review.
He said the purchase of the property by The Home Depot is not yet complete.