A developer is proposing to tear down the buildings in the old Fremont Center at the corner of Fremont Boulevard and Grimmer Boulevard in Irvington and replace them with 272 housing units.

The Cloverleaf Family Bowl, which has greeted generations of bowlers for 55 years, is one of the buildings that would be demolished.

The proposed project site extends from Fremont Boulevard west to Bay Street, and from Grimmer Boulevard south. It includes the Bank of America and the businesses south of that along Fremont. All commercial buildings on the site are proposed to be demolished except the Taco Bell drive-in restaurant.

Mike Hillman says: This is wrong on so many levels. If Cloverleaf Family Bowl has given you memories and happiness then I ask you to please write to the email in the article. My family has been in this business and location for over 55 years now. The last thing Fremont needs is more residential and eliminate one main source of family entertainment. Nobody does more for the kids and families than Cloverleaf Family Bowl. Our seniors included.

The parent company of Taco Bell discovered the center had been devalued by the loss of tenants (with the previous landlord) so they purchased the shopping center. Then one day we get a call and find out that developers are interested in purchasing the shopping center and that it is under contract. Then earlier this week, an article in the Tri City Voice was published and this was a bit of a shock to all of us that things had progressed to this point. And to read that EVERYTHING will be demolished here EXCEPT Taco Bell.

A day may come where we will need to go to city council meetings. I would hope that we could count on a lot of people to support us and attend the meeting and show these people how much we mean to the city and the families that live here or bowl here. My family has been here for 55+ years in this business. I have been inside this building almost every day of my life. We are not giving up!