CINCINNATI -- Crews tore down a former gas station to make way for new development along Reading Road.

Battle Axe Construction workers demolished the former Marathon at the intersection of Reading Road and Martin Luther King Drive at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Development group Uptown Consortium purchased the property last month for about $2.3 million as part of the first phase of the Uptown Innovation Corridor’s growth.

Franz Stansbury, director of real estate for Uptown Consortium, says the acquisition of the site was a strategic investment.

"It's a key corner,” Stansbury said. “In real estate you always want to control your corners and so we've got control on the four corners now and we're very happy about that."

Final plans for the site have not been set yet.

"Something better and higher can go in here and accomplish that with the rest of the holdings that we have so the future looks good,” Stansbury said.

The northeast quadrant of the corridor, diagonal from the former Marathon, will become a mixed-use space for offices, retail and residences.

The Uptown Consortium hopes developer will make moves on the site by next year.