‘There are stories here:’ Restaurant, rooftop deck planned for Hilltop
A long-vacant structure built more than 100 years ago that greets commuters as they enter the Hilltop from Franklinton could be on its way to becoming a restaurant with a rooftop deck.
Felisha Lyons bought the parcel at 1945-1947 W. Broad St. in August for $76,500. In addition to the restaurant, she said she hopes to have a social enterprise business either start or expand its operation in the space, which is in disrepair.
“My hope is that it’s a social enterprise that actually reaches out to and supports youth,” Lyons said. “That would be ideal.”
No business has called the property home for the last half-century, according to Lyons, but she said it has served many purposes over the years, from sweet shop to sandwich shop to florist to drug store.
There’s also a duplex and carriage house in the rear, which Lyons plans to renovate into apartments.
More:Looking for public art in Columbus? Here are 7 must-see murals on the Hilltop
Lyons’ proposal received support last week from the Greater Hilltop Area Commission, and the owner of ReVest Realty is seeking variances from the Columbus City Council for reducing the number of required spaces in a planned parking lot and more. Most spaces in the parking lot would be reserved for tenants of the restored duplex and carriage house.
Lyons, executive director of vulnerable youth for Columbus City Schools, lives on the Near East Side and called the Far West Side home when she first moved to Columbus from Ashtabula County in 1998. She said she’s passionate about preserving historical housing stock.
“There are stories here. There are memories here,” Lyons said, gesturing to the dugout-style building in front of her on a recent afternoon.
“This place was known, and I think there is a lot of history that gets lost,” she continued. “You come in, build something new. It’s beautiful, shiny and pretty, but the stories aren’t there. The memories aren’t there.”
Franklin County Auditor’s office records indicate the commercial building at 1959 W. Broad St. was built in 1900, though Lyons and local residents believe it is older. (The parcel number by 1929 had been changed to 1945 from 1959.)
Sanborn Fire Insurance maps show no structure on the property in 1901. A newspaper ad from 1909 mentions a shop.
More:Hilltop tae kwon do grandmaster, 80, shows no signs of slowing down
Dick Hoffman, board member of the Hilltop Historical Society, said he’s excited for what Lyon has planned.
“Anything old like that that can be restored would be wonderful,” he said.
Susan Keeny, preservation director at Columbus Landmarks who works with homeowners through its Home Preservation Program, said she is familiar with Lyons and her project.
“We’re excited to work with her,” she said. “She’s taken quite a unique property. It’s quite a lot to tackle, for sure.”
One of the things Columbus Landmarks is doing is working with Lyons to see if at least the commercial building — which Keeny said remains structurally sound — is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, helping it qualify for historic tax credits.
“We’re hoping to dig a little more into the history to see whether this is eligible,” she said.
More:Highland Youth Garden has high hopes to expand on Columbus’ Hilltop
Lyons said she’s excited about what the future holds for the property.
“What’s here is beautiful and should be preserved as much as possible,” she said.
This story is part of the Dispatch’s Mobile Newsroom initiative. Visit our reporters at the Hilltop branch library and read their work at dispatch.com/mobilenewsroom, where you also can sign up for The Mobile Newsroom newsletter.
Dispatch librarian Julie Fulton and assistant metro editor Ryan E. Smith contributed to this report.
@monroetrombly
Read More: ‘There are stories here:’ Restaurant, rooftop deck planned for Hilltop