021411 Rotary members get a glimpse at the future of Merchants Block
By Sharon Haught
February 7, 2011
347
In 2009 one of Woosters most iconic downtown buildings became part of the citys past when the final few bricks of the Freedlanders Department Store building tumbled to the ground.
Just under 18 months later, the members of the Rotary Club of Wooster had the opportunity to hear about the future of the site from developer Mike Rose and architect Tony Cerny.
According to Cerny the team working on plans to develop the site of the former Freedlanders Building looked to the past to help shape downtowns future.
By looking back to a time when shopkeepers lived above their stores and kept the area vibrant during the evening hours a mixed use concept which incorporates both commercial and residential activities will be employed.
Even the design of the exterior of the building is a nod to the citys past.
We looked at a variety of different facade designs but we really wanted to play off of the history and character of the community itself, said Cerny.
While Freedlanders had grown into a façade that stretched half a block most of the downtown is composed of smaller scale buildings. We wanted to do the same thing here, said Cerny adding the planned façade reflects what would have been here at one time.
The plans call for a 30,000 square foot, three story building with 10,000 square feet of commercial space on street level and upper story residential space comprise of 12 customizable 1700 square foot lofts featuring private entrances and garages, open-air terraces, main level kitchen and great room spaces with ten foot high ceilings and large windows facing Liberty Street and upper level bedroom suites.
Cerny noted that one of the lofts most important features is their location.
It gets you right in the heart of everything, said Cerny. Youre within walking distance of all the activity in downtown so you really get to take in that flavor. You have an opportunity in these loft spaces for the metropolitan lifestyle in a small town, quaint area.
We feel very fortunate that we have the opportunity to do this and to be a part of Woosters history, said Rose.
Rose addressed the question he is asked most about the project. When will it get underway?
In these economic times there are a lot more hurdles to get over but were getting closer and closer with these milestones, said Rose.
According to Rose, Merchants Block is close to meeting two conditions placed on the project by the lender in order to move forward – the pre-leasing of half of the street level retail space and the pre-sale of four of the lofts.
Rose noted that a letter of intent has been secured from a tenant who intends to open a restaurant on street level.
They have been in business for over 30 years. They are a tenant of ours in Medina. Theyve been there 6 years now, said Rose. Theyll do a first class job and theyre not going to be competing with any other types of restaurants. Itll just give the community another option.
Two of the four lofts have also been sold and there are three more prospects for the remaining lofts, added Rose.
Weve met with investors and were getting closer and closer and hope to firm that up within the next six to eight weeks. The same thing with the contractors. We have two contractors we are negotiating with and it looks like were going to be able to come close to what our numbers were to make this work, said Rose.
All the pieces are coming together and once we reach that well be able to start, said Rose.
