A plan to demolish the two-story building that houses Cup O’ Joe in Bexley and replace it with a four-story condo and retail building has been conditionally approved by the Bexley Planning Commission. The proposed development is unusual in that it is adding height while decreasing the number of residential units; the existing building houses four apartments, while the proposed one would contain three full-floor condos, each about 5,800 square feet in size.
The first floor would contain about 4,800 square feet reserved for retail or restaurant use. Eighteen parking spots for residents would be provided below grade, while six cars would be accommodated by a small surface lot behind the building. The existing building, which is home to Cathy’s Salon as well as Cup O’ Joe, has a parking lot in front with space for ten cars. Little is known about the fate of the existing businesses located in the current building.
“We are still working with the new owners on what our future will look like on Main Street,” says Cup O Joe President Mark Swanson. “We have three years left on our current lease with a five-year renewal option. That is all I know right now.”
The proposed building, to be called the Gramercy, sits at a prominent corner in Bexley; East Main Street at Cassady Avenue, across from the Bexley Public Library. The project description that accompanied the Planning Commission application made the case for the new building based on the city’s Main Street Design Guidelines; the larger building will serve as a gateway and improve the pedestrian experience by creating a continuous building facade along Main that is free of surface parking.
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