‘A SHOWCASE’ BUILDING’
Plans set for Farnam Block site
Developers are promising an eyecatching replacement for the former Farnam Block site on Broadway Avenue.
Gaby Akl, president of Enzogroup Realty Corp., said Wednesday that construction could begin by April on a one-storey building that could accommodate five businesses.
Akl acknowledged plans for a two-storey building on the site, seen by many when a rendering was posted online in 2016, have been scrapped due to several factors, including the market and the cost of building.
Akl promised a “showcase building ” will replace the historic Farnam Block, which was demolished in March 2015 after 103 years on the corner of Broadway and 11th Street East.
“There is a tremendous interest in small retail space on Broadway and that is what this will be geared toward,” Akl said in an interview.
“(The new building is) going to blend in very, very nicely and it will stand out on that site.”
A final rendering of the new building should be released soon, Akl said. The new building is expected to be constructed right to the property line on the site, which is about 6,000 square feet to 7,000 sq. ft, he added.
Akl said his company has already received a lot of interest in the site and the spaces could be leased by the time the building is completed. Potential businesses include small retail stores or restaurants, he said.
Construction is expected to take nine months to a year.
The Farnam Block was home to Lydia’s Pub before it was demolished.
Residents gathered to watch the historic building’s demolition; many grabbed bricks as souvenirs. The site has served as a parking lot since then.
DeeAnn Mercier, executive director of the Broadway Business Improvement District, called the Farnam Block replacement plan “exciting.”
She confirmed demand is high for small retail spaces in the Broadway area.
She said the vacancy rate in the district has declined “significantly” since August 2016 when she took over as executive director.
Mercier said she’s not too concerned about losing the parking spots on the corner lot, but pointed out that 7shifts, a software company, is moving to the second floor of the building across the street, 701 Broadway Avenue. Fifty to 60 employees are expected to relocate to the district with the move, Mercier said.
“They’re not concerned about it,” she said. “They’re excited to move here.”
She noted there is a parking lot on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Main Street where the Royal Bank was once located.