Franklin city officials are considering whether they want the former city hall to become a new high-end restaurant or a cafe with space for gatherings and small businesses.
Those were the two proposals the Franklin Redevelopment Commission received for the building at 55 W. Madison St. that used to house city offices.
Both proposals include a request for tax dollars to help make the plans into a reality, and both would need approval from the city board.
Board members want to have time to look over both proposals, including how they would be financed, before making a decision. The building has been vacant since 2009 when city offices moved into their current location on Monroe Street. A plan to turn the building into a brewery and restaurant fell through after the developer spent about $260,000, including $250,000 in tax dollars, to do work to the building, including installing new windows and doors, paint, roof repairs and brick work, but was unable to finish the project for personal reasons.
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The city board asked for proposals to redevelop the 80-year-old building, and listed a purchase price of $240,000.
Both proposals ask for a lower purchase price, and also ask for tax dollars to help cover the cost of more work that is needed.
Daron Short, a Colorado resident who grew up in Franklin and still has family here, envisions a cafe with gathering space for Franklin College students to study and residents to meet on the first floor, with small businesses, such as artist studios, a barber or a chiropractor, in the basement.
Short, a graphic designer and photographer, expects work to the building, including plumbing, electrical and heating and air conditioning repairs, would cost about $57,000. He also estimates spending another $80,000 on the work needed to prepare the building to house a business, including bathroom renovations, installing seating, building out a kitchen and adding new lighting and sound equipment, according to his proposal.
He asked the redevelopment commission to sell him the building for a price of $160,000 and for a grant for the $57,000 in work needed. He also planned to apply to the Franklin Development Corp., a nonprofit organization mostly funded by the city, for a $50,000 loan to do work to the inside of the building and a grant for the facade of the building, the proposal said.
Members of the redevelopment commission asked about how Short would get funding for his portion of the project, which would cost about $240,000. Short said he planned to fund his portion of the project with investors and loans.
Rob Henderson, who is on the committee studying the proposals, said he wanted more information on how the project would be funded, so they can make sure the project is able to move forward.
“The prior effort didn’t get off the ground, and we don’t want Round 2,” he said.
The second proposal the board is considering is for a high-end restaurant to move into the building, with possible space for a retail shop connected to the restaurant, according to the proposal from Madison Street Properties. That group, run by Lesa and John Talley, also was involved in the development of the shopping center being built next to the new Kroger Marketplace on U.S. 31.
Their proposal is to buy the property for $10,000, which was the purchase price in the first development planned for the former city hall, and invest between $900,000 and more than $1 million into renovations and work to the building to prepare it for a restaurant.
They asked the city board for a $150,000 grant that would be used for work to the building, including a sprinkler system, safety updates and work to make it accessible. They would also seek a tax break for filling a vacant building and would seek a facade grant from the Franklin Development Corp., according to their proposal.
They envision a popular downtown eatery, which would fill the need for a high-end restaurant, with outdoor seating that would attract 50,000 or more visitors per year, they said.
Board members said they would consider both proposals and hope to have a recommendation later this month.
