The owner of a classic car customization business is interested in purchasing a vacant property on Wayne Street in Niles.

Jerry Fry, owner of Fry Rides and Fabrication, LLC, of Buchanan, said he would like to move into the Center of Hope Life Changing Ministries building at 306 Wayne St.

To that end, Fry is asking that the City of Niles approve a conditional rezoning of the property to allow business to be conducted on the premises.

Fry said he has permission from the current building owner to seek the variance.

On Wednesday, the city’s planning commission reviewed Fry’s application for a variance and set a public hearing on the subject for its next meeting Sept. 24.

Fry, a master fabricator, said he specializes in customizing classic vehicles. Most of his recent client vehicles have been primarily from the 1950s.

Since opening in 2010, business has increased each year.

“We are turning down work because of our space constraints,” Fry said. “That’s not good business.”

In his presentation to the planning commission, Fry said the Wayne Street property stood out due to its sturdy construction, square footage, high ceilings and convenient proximity to downtown Niles.

Also Wednesday, the planning commission set a public hearing for Sept. 24 for the removal of two parcels of land from the city’s 11th Street Overlay District. The properties are 919 Michigan St. and 429 S. 9th St. Both are located immediately to the west of the Shell Station on South 11th. The decision was prompted by Glen Millin’s desire to expand his business, Performance Machine, Inc., located at 919 Michigan St. The expansion would include additional manufacturing and retail space. Because the business falls in the 11th Street Overlay district, any expansion would need to satisfy conditions of the overlay district, including masonry construction and 30-percent window coverage on street-facing walls. Meeting those requirements would create a financial burden on Millin, according to Tanner Leininger, of Carmi Design Group, the company that came up with the design for the expansion project.

“It’s a lot of little things that would add up quickly for the owner,” Leininger said.

Millin was originally asking the planning commission to wave those requirements by classifying the property as a planned unit development (PUD), which would allow the commission to flex any language in the 11th Street Overlay ordinance.

John DiCostanzo, planning commission member, said he was concerned that if they grant the PUD in this case they would set a dangerous precedent for other businesses in the overlay district wanting to vary from the rules.

Instead of going the PUD route, DiCostanzo proposed that the commission begin the process of removing the property and the one beside it (429 S. 9th St.) from the overlay district itself.

The rest of the planning commission agreed to proceed in that direction and set a public hearing to gain input from Niles residents on the issue.

The City Council would have to approve any amendment to the overlay district.

The planning commission also approved a site plan for a new O’Reilly Auto Parts store at 530/550 S. 11th St. Juan Ganum, Niles community development director, said construction could begin as soon the plans are approved by the city’s building department.