Columbus: Brewery District Developments and News

[Columbo]

Updated photos for the 570 Lofts renovation project and Liberty Place's phase two new construction project going on in the Brewery District from Columbus Underground's Construction Roundup - October 2012

 

570 Lofts renovation

 

 

Liberty Place - Phase Two construction

[Columbo]

WSA Studio to anchor redevelopment of former Columbus Jack site in Brewery District

Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball

Friday, October 8, 2010

 

Developer Don DeVere has begun reviving a former office and industrial building on the southern edge of the Brewery District in Columbus with the design firm WSA Studio as its anchor tenant.  WSA Studio Principals Tim Hawk and John Meegan Jr. will join DeVere, president of DeVere LLC, in investing in the project at 1000 S. Front Street.  It formerly served as offices and industrial storage space for Columbus Jack Corp.

 

WSA Studio will lease 4,500 square feet on the building’s ground floor for its offices, and apartments will be built on the top two floors.  The project is scheduled to be completed in February.

 

MORE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/10/11/story7.html

 

Rendering and site plan of the building renovation is at the Business First website link.  Below is a photo and a site map from the Franklin County Auditor's GIS page.  The location of the Columbus Jack Building is immediately north of the Brewers Gate condo development.

 

An update about design firm WSA Studio moving into the Columbus Jack Building in the Brewery District.  The Metropreneur Columbus recently ran a profile about the design firm and the renovation of the former industrial building.  Below is a link to the Metropreneur article and a few small versions of before/after photos of the Columbus Jack Building from the article:

 

At Work: Transforming an old industrial building in the Brewery District

 

     

 

     

[Columbo]

^ That Metropeneur article looked the commercial component of the Columbus Jack Building renovation.  WSA Studio occupies the ground floor of the building.  The upper two floors of the Jack Building are loft apartments.  Below is a profile from Columbus Underground about a young couple that lives in one of those upper story apartments in the Jack Building.

 

At Home: Moving to a gorgeous loft in the Brewery District

 

[Columbo]

An excellent article from Business First that looks at the re-revitalization (so to speak) of the Brewery District.  The historic district just south of downtown and west of German Village had its first wave revitalization in the 1990's - catering to college-age nightlife.  This group moved on to other areas when the Arena District and South Campus Gateway came into their own in the 2000's.  That lull period for the Brewery District looks to be ending with a combination of new nightlife spots, residential projects and other mixed-use development coming forward in the 2010's:

 

Brewery District tapping into revitalization

Business First by Dan Eaton, Staff reporter

Date: Friday, December 21, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

The Brewery District is growing up.  That may seem to be a contradiction for a neighborhood with roots to the mid-1800s, but apt it is for a historic section of Columbus enjoying a revival for dining, entertainment and the nightlife.  “It’s becoming mature – well, maybe re-mature – after more than 100 years,” said Bill Schottenstein, principal with developer Arshot Investment Corp., the owner of several properties in the area.  “A lot of times, when it falls off, you just move on to another area. It’s gratifying to see we can draw people back here.”

 

Mature is the operative word.  In the 1990s, the Brewery District became a hot spot for the city’s young crowd, but their interest waned in the early 2000s.  The area has repopulated in recent years, however, most notably with the arrival of Shadowbox Live music and sketch comedy venue and the World of Beer tavern in the old Worly Building last year.

 

Their entrance spurred additional development, including the Double Happiness bar.  The White Rabbit and McCasky’s Grille restaurants are coming soon.  A new trade association is active, and the developing mix of housing, offices and restaurants has observers confident in the area’s future.

 

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/12/21/brewery-district-taps-revival-spirits.html

[Columbo]

Updated photos for the 570 Lofts renovation project and Liberty Place's phase two new construction project going on in the Brewery District from Columbus Underground's Construction Roundup - December 2012

 

570 Lofts renovation

 

 

Liberty Place - Phase Two construction

 

 

[Columbo]

The 570 Lofts renovation project is now finished.  Previously known as the Salvation Army Building and originally the Born Brewery Building, this project converted the three-story building at 570 S. Front Street into 47 residential units.  More about this project at http://www.570lofts.com/

 

Columbus Underground looked at one of units in their 'At Home' series - http://www.columbusunderground.com/at-home-a-new-apartment-a-new-look-at-columbus - which contains a photo-tour of the interior.  Below are a couple of views of the finished 570 Lofts project from Front Street and the back alley.

 

 

[Columbo]

Construction updates for the 200-unit Phase Two of Liberty Place Apartments:

 

Late March 2013 - http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-march-2013

 

Late April 2013 - http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-april-2013-part-1

 

Late July 2013 - http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-july-2013

 

Late July 2013 - http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-july-2013

[Columbo]

More construction updates for the 200-unit Phase Two of Liberty Place Apartments:

 

Late September 2013 - http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-september-2013-part-1

 

More photos at http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-september-2013-part-1

[Columbo]

The 200-unit Phase Two of Liberty Place Apartments was completed.  Below is a 2014 Auditor's web site photo of the project from Short Street and an aerial view with the Phase Two addition highlighted:

 

 

[Columbo]

Immediately east of Liberty Place Phase Two in the above aerial is the historic Ice House building.  Below is a photo of it:

 

 

The former Hoster Brewing warehouse is home to the retail design and brand stratgey firm Chute Gerdeman.  Chute Gerdeman wants to expand its workforce within the Ice House, but the building is fully leased.  So they are proposing an addition to the building:

 

Business First:  Chute Gerdeman to add on to historic HQ in Brewery District amid work force expansion

[Columbo]

The All Columbus Data website has a series of before and after google streetviews for the Brewery District that date from 2007 to 2015:

 

Before and After Google Special: 2007-Present Part 1 - Brewery District

[Columbo]

Couple of articles about new brewery operations locating in the Brewery District.  Interesting full circle for development in the area.  First, a brand new operation locating in this former manufacturing complex at 841 S. Front Street:

 

 

Barley's new brewhouse will help get it in stores

By Dan Eaton, Staff Reporter - Columbus Business First

January 8, 2016, 6:00am EST

 

What better place to set up a brewery in Columbus than in the Brewery District?  Barley’s Brewing Co., the city’s second-oldest craft beer maker, is doing that, establishing a production operation at 841 S. Front Street.  With the plant, Barley’s expects to quadruple its beer output and put the 24-year-old brand into stores for the first time.

( . . . )

Barley’s has been content to brew from its 10-barrel system beneath its Short North brewpub at 467 N. High Street.  That won’t change.  The new brewery, which will go into the old Jones Heel Manufacturing Co. building, will ensure that Barley’s restaurant never runs low on beer.  It also will let the company take on more accounts and expand into bottling and canning, which could put it into grocery stores and bottle shops.

 

Barley’s is taking 7,000 square feet of the 21,000-square-foot building and will have room for expansion.  The building will continue to house Schell Scenic Studio, a warehouse for theatrical equipment, props and supplies.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2016/01/08/barleys-new-brewhouse-will-help-get-it-in-stores.html

[Columbo]

The second bit of Brewery District brewery news is a new operation locating at the previous Columbus Brewing Co. operation at 535 Short Street.  The owner of the Smokehouse Brewing restaurant is buying CBC's old space and equipment in the Brewery District with plans to open a new production brewery called Commonhouse Ales.

 

The CBC's Short Street location will become available later this year after they move to a larger new home at 2555 Harrison Road.  This move is to accommodate a massive expansion of the CBC brand:  http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/09/05/columbus-brewing-co-spending-5m-in-west-side.html

 

Commonhouse Ales will be a separate operation from the Smokehouse Brewery restaurant, but some of the beers from Smokehouse, which was once affiliated with Barley’s Brewing, might make it into the Commonhouse rotation.  More about this from the following links:

 

-- http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/01/19/smokehouse-brewing-owner-plans-new-brewing-venture.html

 

-- http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/01/19/smokehouse-brewing-taking-columbus-brewing-co.html

 

-- http://www.columbusunderground.com/new-brewery-commonhouse-ales-coming-soon-to-brewery-district-rw1

[ColDayMan]

Katalina's eyeing 2nd restaurant in the Brewery District

 

 

The redevelopment of a former antiques store along the busy South High Street corridor may bring pancake balls to the Brewery District.

 

Luteg High LLC, an affiliate of Columbus-based Kelley Cos., is proposing structural changes to a building at 716-718 S. High St. to house two new restaurants, along with residences.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/02/04/new-restaurants-proposed-in-the-brewery-district.html

[Columbo]

^ More about the Katalina's restaurant proposal at 718 S. High Street and another restaurant proposal planned for two parcels north at 702 S. High Street from Business First at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/02/08/3-brewery-district-restaurants-planned-in-high.html.

 

Here is the existing streetscape from 702 to 718 S. High Street.  The two-story brick building to the left of the Tremont Lounge is 702 S. High Street.  The Tremont Lounge is 708 S. High Street.  The former antiques business to the right of the Tremont Lounge is 718 S. High Street:

 

Below is the Katalina's proposal to renovate the former antiques business at 718 S. High Street.  This proposal would remove the modern one-story addition to the original two-story house on the property.  A new one-story addition would occupy the parcel between the two-story house at 718 S. High Street and the Tremont Lounge:

 

The above linked Business First article reports that the two-story brick building at 702 S. High Street is slated for redevelopment by another developer.  South Compass Properties said they have a prospective restaurant tenant planning to occupy both floors of this 2,500-square-foot vacant building.  The developer did not identify the restaurant tenant but will need to return with more details at next month's Brewery District Commission.  The neighboring Tremont Lounge bar at 708 S. High Street is also owned by South Compass Properties.  There was no word if any work was planned for this building.

[Toddguy]

This looks good, but the article/post also makes me think the Tremont is doomed.

[ColDayMan]

6-story self-storage facility coming to the Brewery District

 

 

Residents of the Brewery District and surrounding neighborhoods will soon have a new option for storing belongings.

 

Brexton LLC will build a six-story self-storage facility at the corner of Liberty and Short streets, similar to one the company is building on Long Street downtown.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/02/08/6-story-self-storage-facility-coming-to-the.html

[Columbo]

Townhomes Proposed for Corner of Front and Whittier in Brewery District

By Brent Warren, Columbus Underground

February 27, 2016 - 10:31 am

 

The southeast corner of Front and Whittier streets could soon be redeveloped if a proposal to build 20 townhomes is approved by the Brewery District Commission.  The existing cinder block building on the corner, which held Praxair Distribution for years, would be demolished and replaced with eight smaller buildings, each holding two or three townhomes.

 

Denis King, who is developing the project under the name NK Villas, said that the townhomes would feature two bedrooms, two baths, attached two-car garages, and about 2,000 square feet of living space.  They would be for-sale units, probably starting in the mid-$400,000 range.

 

The proposal was first brought before the commission in July, where it received generally positive feedback in terms of its density and scale.  The latest design will be reviewed at the commission’s March 3rd meeting.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/townhomes-proposed-for-corner-of-front-and-whittier-in-brewery-district

[Columbo]

Site photo, site plan and elevation of the 20-unit townhome project proposed for the southeast corner of Front Street and Whittier Street from http://www.columbusunderground.com/townhomes-proposed-for-corner-of-front-and-whittier-in-brewery-district:

 

Photo of the existing building on the Front & Whittier site looking north up Front Street:

 

Proposed site plan:

 

Elevations for the 3-unit and 2-unit townhome buildings:

[ColDayMan]

I'm pleased by this.

[ColDayMan]

Huntington Bank renovating Brewery District law office building for new branch

 

 

Huntington National Bank is leaving Kroger’s Brewery District grocery store, with plans to renovate a nearby office building for a larger standalone branch.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/03/23/exclusive-huntington-bank-renovating-brewery.html

[Columbo]

The Brexton self-storage facility (aka warehouse) proposed for the southeast corner of Liberty and Short streets in the Brewery District got approved.  Apparently, it will have six floors - five above-ground and one below-ground:

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/five-story-brewery-district-storage-facility-approved-bw1

[ColDayMan]

Townhomes coming to prominent corner in the Brewery District

 

 

A vacant industrial building in the Brewery District will be demolished to make way for 20 townhomes starting in the mid-$400,000s.

 

Having earned city approval, developer Dennis King expects to begin tearing down the Praxair Distribution facility at 876 S. Front St. sometime in August. The site is at Front and Whittier streets, at the entrance to the Scioto Audubon Metro Park.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/07/29/first-look-townhomes-coming-to-prominent-corner-in.html

[Columbo]

Wasserstrom announced today that it will be leaving its headquarters of 50 years in the Brewery District for a building at 4500 E. Broad Street in Whitehall.  The restaurant-products supplier will move its HQ and 225 employees next summer:  http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/08/31/wasserstrom-moving-225-workers-to-new-hq-in.html

 

Which is certainly good news for Whitehall.  But it also might be good news for the Brewery District.  The Wasserstrom building has been an interesting but incongruent modern landmark at the northern gateway into the Brewery District at 477 S. Front Street.  Below is a view of the building from the corner of Livingston & Front looking south:

 

 

The good news for the Brewery District is that Wasserstrom owns the property and said in the Business First article that it expects its headquarters at 477 S. Front Street to be redeveloped.  And the property is much more than just the narrow modern building along Front Street.  It also includes the historic three-story brick warehouse behind the modern building.  Such a large building at such a prominent location should attract much interest from developers.  Below is an aerial from the County Auditor website that also shows the entire Wasserstrom property outlined:

 

[ColDayMan]

Yeah, that's a great opportunity for something well done.

[ink]

I was under the impression that Wasserstrom also controlled the southern portion of the building to the west as well, which has only been partially redeveloped.

[wpcc88]

I've had several meetings in that building and it should be an embarrassment for a company of that size to occupy it.  Their customer service section is basically a dungeon and their offices aren't much better.  This is long overdue and I'm very happy for their employees to get out of that place and into something more modern.  That being said I know that Via Vecchia is part of that complex as well.  There is a lot of potential for that area, hopefully Wasserstrom sells it and removes themselves completely from the new project.

[ColDayMan]

Former warehouse by Scioto Audubon Metro Park being renovated for creative office space

 

 

A downtown warehouse once run by F&R Lazarus & Co. is being renovated for creative office space.

 

E.V. Bishoff Co. said it is spending several million dollars to transform the single-story, 200,000-square-foot complex at 371 Maier Place bordering the Scioto Audubon Metro Park into the Audubon Park Office Center. The Columbus-based real estate company purchased the building in the early 1990s.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/11/18/former-warehouse-by-scioto-audobon-metro-park.html

[casey]

Some more info on the impending redevelopment of Wasserstrom's HQ from BizFirst today. Also, the potential here is even larger than Columbo indicated above. Wasserstrom owns all of the property I've indicated on the map below. This could really be transformative for the district, and inject a lot of new activity into the neighborhood.

 

Wasserstrom selling former Hoster brewery for redevelopment

 

Wasserstrom, a restaurant products supplier, is taking proposals from developers for an adaptive reuse of the 140,000-square-foot complex of buildings at 477 S. Front St.

 

The company is not bound by a specific deadline, but executives say they would like to have a deal in place by next summer.

 

“We showed the building to many, many developers. Some are working on lining up financing to come give us proposals," President Brad Wasserstrom said. “There’s no doubt this property’s going to sell to a developer. We’re talking to all the typical names, it’s all the big names (in Columbus).”

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/12/16/photos-wasserstrom-selling-former-hoster-brewery.html

 

[wpcc88]

Some more info on the impending redevelopment of Wasserstrom's HQ from BizFirst today. Also, the potential here is even larger than Columbo indicated above. Wasserstrom owns all of the property I've indicated on the map below. This could really be transformative for the district, and inject a lot of new activity into the neighborhood.

 

Wasserstrom selling former Hoster brewery for redevelopment

 

Wasserstrom, a restaurant products supplier, is taking proposals from developers for an adaptive reuse of the 140,000-square-foot complex of buildings at 477 S. Front St.

 

The company is not bound by a specific deadline, but executives say they would like to have a deal in place by next summer.

 

“We showed the building to many, many developers. Some are working on lining up financing to come give us proposals," President Brad Wasserstrom said. “There’s no doubt this property’s going to sell to a developer. We’re talking to all the typical names, it’s all the big names (in Columbus).”

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/12/16/photos-wasserstrom-selling-former-hoster-brewery.html

 

 

Thank God they are doing this; I was in that building for work several times and a company of their size should've been ashamed to call that their HQ.  It is a very diverse property with a ton of potential so it will be interesting to see what someone does with it.  It is suited best for commercial but that 1960's addition in the front needs to come down for sure. 

[Columbo]

Praxair Distribution buildings at the southeast corner of Whittier and Front have been demolished for a 20-unit townhouse project - http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/07/29/first-look-townhomes-coming-to-prominent-corner-in.html:

 

- February 2017 photo from http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-february-2017

 

- Previous buildings at Whittier & Front:

 

- Aerial rendering of the 20-unit project for the southeast corner of Whittier & Front:

[ColDayMan]

Brewery District office building getting $1M-plus refresh, new anchor tenant

 

 

A rare office high-rise in Columbus’ Brewery District will be renovated.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/06/08/brewery-district-office-building-getting-1m-plus.html

[Columbo]

Some news about two new-build properties in the historic Brewery District.  The first is about 555 S. Front Street, a four-story, 41,460 square-foot office building that was built by the Edwards Cos. in 1997.  The 555 building had fallen into financial trouble for Edwards and was returned to its mortgage holder in 2012, before being purchased by an out-of-town entity in 2013.

 

Now this prominent Brewery District office building has been purchased by a prominent local real estate developer, Kyle Katz.  The deal also includes a 5,193-square-foot building at 551 S. Front Street that is leased by Holy Water Spirits, a distillery that plans to open soon.  According to the below linked Business First article, the 555 S. Front Street office building is 90 percent leased:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/14/kyle-katz-buys-prominent-brewery-district-office.html

 

[Columbo]

The second bit of news is about the prominent 12-story office tower at 500 S. Front Street built in 1989 - aka the sliding facade building:

 

 

A local ownership group purchased 500 S. Front Street one year ago and announced plans to spend more than $1 million to modernize the lobby and update the building's infrastructure, such as heating and cooling, security system and energy-efficient lights within the parking structure.  According to the Business First article linked below, since the renovations were announced the building occupancy has increased from 71 to 98 percent.

 

The building’s new largest tenant, taking 26,000 of the building's 146,000 square feet, was announced last month.  Woda Group Inc., an affordable housing developer active in 15 states, is consolidating 60 employees from its Westerville and Columbus offices at 500 S. Front Street, with plans for additional employees.  The renovations at 500 S. Front are set for completion in December, which includes the preparation of Woda’s office space:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/09/15/renovated-brewery-tower-fills-up-strategy-paid-off.html

 

[GCrites]

Ahh, the Late '80s Columbus development boom

[aderwent]

 

Here is what is being called Southern Tier at Front and Whittier streets. It is adjacent to the entrance to Scioto Audubon Metro Park. The corner opposite here has a sweet old brick factory for lease for office space that would be perfect for residential conversion if you ask me.

[ColDayMan]

Developer eager to turn Wasserstrom property in the Brewery District into 'front door' to downtown

 

 

A developer has plans to turn a prominent Brewery District property into a "front door" to downtown, with ideas that include offices, a hotel, lofted condos and even a market where Interstate 70 funnels visitors to the area.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/12/22/developer-eager-to-turn-wasserstrom-property-in.html

[ColDayMan]

Redevelopment would add apartments to Brewery District's Maennerchor Building

 

 

A redevelopment project on the Maennerchor site on South High Street is in the works.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/12/22/redevelopment-would-add-apartments-to-brewery.html

[ColDayMan]

Proposal Calls for Three-Story Building at Maennerchor Site

 

A proposal to build a three-story, 18-unit residential building at 966 S. High St. was presented to the Brewery District Commission last night.

 

The plan calls for the demolition of a two-and-a-half story building – along with its one-story front addition – that sits immediately north of the Valters at Maennerchor restaurant, where the Columbus Maennerchor currently meets.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/proposal-calls-for-three-story-building-at-maennerchor-site-bw1

 

[Columbo]

Praxair Distribution buildings at the southeast corner of Whittier and Front have been demolished for a 20-unit townhouse project - http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/07/29/first-look-townhomes-coming-to-prominent-corner-in.html:

 

View of the first townhouses in this 20-unit project at Whittier & Front from http://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-short-north-university-district-more-we1

 

[Toddguy]

Is that some kind of joke over there at Columbus Underground about a plan to demolish the antiques mall building for a fast food joint with a drive thru? It has to be. That is crazy...exactly the opposite of what they should be doing-which is following the example of the Short North and getting rid of these stand alone fast food joints with drive thrus...not creating more of them by demolishing a nice old building.

[Columbo]

Is that some kind of joke over there at Columbus Underground about a plan to demolish the antiques mall building for a fast food joint with a drive thru? It has to be. That is crazy...exactly the opposite of what they should be doing-which is following the example of the Short North and getting rid of these stand alone fast food joints with drive thrus...not creating more of them by demolishing a nice old building.

 

Yeah, that is a crazy proposal:  https://www.columbusunderground.com/proposal-would-demolish-south-high-building-for-drive-thru-restaurant-bw1

 

What makes it even more crazy is that it has zero chance of happening.  Not only does it requires Brewery District Commission approval, but it also goes against every major standard of the city's Urban Commercial Overlay that governs this property.

 

https://www.columbus.gov/planning/commercialoverlays/

[jonoh81]

Is that some kind of joke over there at Columbus Underground about a plan to demolish the antiques mall building for a fast food joint with a drive thru? It has to be. That is crazy...exactly the opposite of what they should be doing-which is following the example of the Short North and getting rid of these stand alone fast food joints with drive thrus...not creating more of them by demolishing a nice old building.

 

Yeah, that is a crazy proposal:  https://www.columbusunderground.com/proposal-would-demolish-south-high-building-for-drive-thru-restaurant-bw1

 

What makes it even more crazy is that it has zero chance of happening.  Not only does it requires Brewery District Commission approval, but it also goes against every major standard of the city's Urban Commercial Overlay that governs this property.

 

https://www.columbus.gov/planning/commercialoverlays/

 

Yeah, I hope they reject the proposal with extreme prejudice and then laugh the developer out of the room. 

[Columbo]

Early July view of the first phase in this 20-unit townhouse project at the southeast corner of Whittier and Front:  https://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-july-2018-edition-we1

 

[casey]

Wow yuck those look awful

[ink]

^They actually look a little better in person.

[ColDayMan]

New Plan Calls for Moving Historic Antique Mall Building

 

The developer behind a plan to demolish the Greater Columbus Antique Mall building is coming back to the Brewery District Commission this week with a new idea for the site.

 

The latest plan calls for moving the historic, front portion of the building to a grass-covered lot about 500 feet to the south. The two-story cinderblock addition that extends to the rear of the property would then be demolished, creating an “opportunity for redevelopment of the site with an appropriate commercial use,” according to a letter submitted to the city in advance of Thursday’s meeting.

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-plan-calls-for-moving-historic-antique-mall-building-bw1

 

[cityscapes]

I don't get why they want to go through all that effort to move the building all for a drive through. First of all, the city should be making zoning code changes to prevent auto oriented uses going in on inner city urban streets like this. The demolition of a historic structure is a separate issue. This type of use would be fine on a street like Bethel Road but not in the Brewery District. Is it that hard to build a non-drive through restaurant with a 0 setback building and parking in the rear? 

[.justin]

9 hours ago, cityscapes said:

I don't get why they want to go through all that effort to move the building all for a drive through. First of all, the city should be making zoning code changes to prevent auto oriented uses going in on inner city urban streets like this. The demolition of a historic structure is a separate issue. This type of use would be fine on a street like Bethel Road but not in the Brewery District. Is it that hard to build a non-drive through restaurant with a 0 setback building and parking in the rear? 

 

There's the urban commercial overlay which would apply here. But they can always apply for variances...somehow the rebuild of the Brewery District McDonald's got through, after all.

[DevolsDance]

I can't figure out why they are so hellbent on making this lot a drive-thru, like what chain could they possibly have lined up that is so dedicated to a specific plot.