Sheetz has snapped up the former Sacred Heart church campus in Roseville along with neighboring Apple Annie's restaurant, in a deal that closed last Monday and will shut down the diner after nearly three decades. City assessing records and local reporting show the package includes the church building, rectory, daycare and the restaurant parcel, clearing the way for a multi‑million‑dollar Sheetz fuel‑and‑convenience project that has already split neighbors and preservationists.
According to Macomb Daily, records show Sheetz paid $1.75 million to the Archdiocese of Detroit for the Sacred Heart property, while the Archdiocese received about $1.35 million from R.P.R. Development for the Apple Annie's lot. City assessing documents list the combined transfers at roughly $3,000,000, and filings identify Roseville Utica LLC of Columbus, Ohio as the new owner. The transaction covers multiple buildings on the campus, including the rectory and a daycare center.
Apple Annie's closes after 28 years
Apple Annie's, a Gratiot Avenue staple since 1998, served its final meal last Monday as owners Leonard and Catherine Pagano get ready to retire. WXYZ reported the Pagnanos signed a purchase agreement with Sheetz in 2025 and accepted the company's offer for the combined lot. Staffers and regulars described a bittersweet goodbye as longtime customers came in for one last plate.
Church pieces salvaged before demolition
Religious leaders say that parts of the Sacred Heart building - including stained‑glass entry doors, roof tiles and the bell tower peak - will be reclaimed for reuse at nearby St. Pio of Pietrelcina and at the cemetery, while contractors remove the rest of the structure, according to C&G Newspapers. City officials told reporters they are monitoring permits and asbestos‑abatement paperwork as the site is readied for redevelopment. Nearby artists and preservation advocates say the salvaging plan does not make up for what they lost when demolition began.
Legal challenges remain
A Macomb County judge has dismissed at least one lawsuit that aimed to block the sale and demolition, a ruling that local coverage says removes an important legal hurdle for the project. WXYZ reported that the plaintiff plans to appeal, so additional filings could still slow work even though the sale is finalized. City officials say they will follow court orders and zoning rules as the property transitions from church to commercial ownership.
Sheetz's regional expansion continues
Sheetz has presented the Roseville purchase as part of a wider Michigan push. Earlier this year, the chain announced plans for roughly a half‑billion‑dollar investment in southeast Michigan and a series of new store openings. ClickOnDetroit reports the company says each new site will bring local jobs and Sheetz's made‑to‑order food program. Because the developer did not seek rezoning, planning officials say the site's approved plan could move into permitting and construction faster than is typical for rezoning projects.
Parish officials say funds will be reinvested locally
St. Pio of Pietrelcina officials told local reporters that some sale proceeds are earmarked for parish projects, including a new parking lot on 13 Mile Road west of Gratiot, and a local attorney estimated demolition could begin later this summer. Those plans and timelines were detailed in records and reporting shared with Macomb Daily. City staff emphasize that permits, abatement clearances and contractor filings must be completed before major site work can begin.
