By Teri Carnicelli

 

            A successful restaurant partnership in the Central Phoenix area hopes to strike gold again with a new eatery concept at Central and Oregon avenues. But first, the zoning for the 1940s-era building has to be changed.

            Venue Projects has filed, on behalf of Central Market LLC, a rezoning request for a half-acre site located at the southeast corner of Central and Oregon. The case was approved by the Alhambra Village Planning Committee on Feb. 23 and will next be heard by the Phoenix Planning Commission on Wednesday, March 10.

The “Central Market” rehabilitation concept proposes to rezone the property from R-3 (residential) to C-1 (neighborhood commercial) to allow the renovation of the existing 1940s retail and storage structures as a “retail and dining neighborhood center,” according to the filing. The restaurant will be owned and operated by Craig and Kris DeMarco and their partners, Lauren and Wyatt Bailey. The DeMarcos and Baileys have successfully employed similar neighborhood restaurant concepts at Le Grande Orange, Postino Arcadia and Central, and Chelsea’s Kitchen.

            The site was developed in the 1940s before annexation to the city and has functioned as a retail center from the beginning, despite its residential zoning. What Central Market proposes falls outside of even the existing “non-conforming” uses, and therefore rezoning is required. Currently there is a florist shop, a beauty salon, a facility for skin and hair care (separate from the beauty salon) and a shop for the sale of alternative therapies.

            The redevelopment concept calls for the 4,027-square-foot structure to remain mostly intact, but with significant site improvements to accommodate more parking and lighting, among other things. There also would be a 1,104-square-foot outdoor rear patio for dining.

            The city’s Planning Department has recommended approval of the projecting, stating that “improvement to the property will stabilize and beautify an older building within a historic district and allow uses that will create a walkable destination for neighborhood residents.”

            Those same residents living in the adjacent historic Pierson Place neighborhood, however, have expressed concern about adequate parking for the proposed restaurant and retail development, fearing the overflow will come onto their streets. According to the staff report, the plan does meet the amount of parking required.

            The re-development also will bring significant improvement to the property facing Central Avenue, with construction of curbing, gutters, sidewalk, curb ramps, and a 40-inch high screen wall, hedge or landscape/hedge combination.

            The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to meet 6 p.m. March 10 in the Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson Ave. The agenda is available online one week before the meeting. Go to http://phoenix.gov/PUBMEETC/ indxhtml.html.