As expansion plans for two of the city’s largest taxpayers are put on hold while they battle over a proposal to build an asphalt plant on Spring Street, another local company is taking advantage of the opportunity.

Mike White, president of White Bros. Inc., said he plans to build an asphalt plant on Warren Avenue that could be operating as early as next spring – long before he predicts Pike Industries’ dispute with Idexx Laboratories and the city about its plans to build an asphalt plant is resolved.

“Logic tells me it’s going to take a couple of years to sort that out,” he said.

A Zoning Board decision regarding Pike’s rights to build an asphalt plant on Spring Street is expected next month, but regardless of the decision, the case is likely to be settled in court. Pike has already filed a suit against the city for its ongoing attempt to rezone its property on Spring Street from industrial to light manufacturing, which would also prevent the company from being able to build an asphalt plant.

According to White, in the past five to 10 years, a few area asphalt plants shut down, including ones in Gray and Portland, and the remaining ones could barely keep up with the work. Though there is drop in demand for hot top now that construction jobs are down, White said, he wants to be poised to fill a gap he predicts in the paving market when the economy turns around.

White said he expects to go to the Westbrook Planning Board next month for a sketch plan review. He said the asphalt plant and its operations would cover about five acres of his construction company’s site at 95 Warren Avenue, between the Sappi Fine Paper mill and the Portland line, and could create about 40 jobs. Though White must have a traffic study completed as part of the permitting process, he estimated the plant would add about 125 trucks trips per day to the road.

Currently, the company, which was founded 53 years ago by White’s late father, Donald White, employs about 55 people. White said he had to lay off more than 40 employees in December but is slowly bringing them back.

Jonathan Olson, regional manager for Pike, said he doesn’t take issue with White’s plans, but is interested to see how the process plays out with the city.

“It will really determine if this is a fairness issue or not,” Olson said about whether the city puts up the same fight with White as it has with Pike to prevent him from going through with his plans. He believes the city couldn’t justify letting White Bros. have an asphalt plant, if it won’t let Pike build one.

“They’re going to have to decide, do they want no more asphalt plants in the city or do they want two more asphalt plants in the city?” Olson said.

However, White doesn’t expect to face opposition from neighbors, as Pike has from Idexx and other surrounding businesses, who have a different vision for the future of that area of Westbrook – and have a lot of clout with the city.

“We think we’ve got a great location,” he said and, after talking to his neighbors, he believes he has a lot of support.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Selden Von Herten, who owns an industrial park across the street from White Bros.

“It’s Warren Avenue. It’s industrial. That’s what it’s supposed to be,” he said.

So far, the city, too, is in support of the project.

“I think it’s certainly the right location,” said Keith Luke, director of economic and community development.

Luke said he believes White has a good understanding of what’s appropriate for the site and that his company is a valuable part of Westbrook’s business community.

“It’ll be an asset,” Luke said about the asphalt plant.

Even if Pike is eventually allowed to build a new asphalt plant, too, White said, he believes the two companies can both be successful.

As far as the debate goes, White said his company has good working relationships with both Pike and Idexx, and it’s hard for him to take sides.

“I’d have liked to see everybody sit down and work it out,” he said, “but that’s ancient history.”

Though White’s plans may not hinge on the outcome of Pike’s struggle with the city, there are external factors that could prevent him from moving forward.

“There’s got to be an economic turn around for us to do this,” he said. But for now, he’s focusing on getting through the permitting process, and will reevaluate the project’s viability when the time comes to start building.

“We’ll read the tea leaves, stick our finger up in the air and see which way the wind’s blowing,” he said.