The vacant building on the northeast corner of Third and Roosevelt streets has long been on our wish list for any kind of development, and this afternoon, we received some good (and tasty) news.
According to Dr. Richard Gordan, who owns the building and lot at 1011 North Third Street, four leases were signed in the past two weeks for an ice cream parlor, a Vietnamese restaurant, an Italian restaurant, and French restaurant.
He says most of the details are still in the works, but that the French spot will be operated by Duc and Noelle Liao, chef-owners of Scratch Pastries.
The building's been around since 1965. Since then, it's been a music venue, a gallery space, headquarters for the "Rock the Vote" campaign, and most recently, a sweet spot for local graffiti artists.
In 2008, the building's previous programmers had plans for a nightclub, a 24-hour newsstand, a grocery, an art gallery, and a miniature skate park. When plans fell through and the building was foreclosed and put up for sale, Gordan bit.
He says he's owned land for two and a half years and has been waiting for the right opportunity and lineup of tenants. According to Gordan, construction will begin in July or August, and the place will hopefully be open for business by by October or November.
"The building has good bones to it," says Gordan. "We're going to do a complete remake on it, put a fence around made from recycled and painted bicycles, and have plenty of space for people to meet, sit, and hang out downtown."
Stay tuned for more info ...
