March 2026 DRC Recap: Demo + Adaptive Re-Use for New Restaurant
03/11/2026
The Midtown Development Review Committee (DRC) reviewed one proposal in March. The proposal was a building renovation and the demolition of a dilapidated building along the westside of Spring St. between 10th and 12th St. The retained building will be used as a restaurant with outdoor dining. More info about the project is provided below:
1050-1056 Spring St.
The existing building at 1056 Spring St. will be renovated for a new restaurant. The front area will see a screen wall removed to provide improved visibility from the street. This also allows space for a new outdoor dining area and for the Spring St. sidewalk to be widened with two new street trees. The building storefront will remove existing vinyl window clings to allow visibility into the interior.
To facilitate parking for the new restaurant the adjacent southern building at 1050 Spring St. will be demolished. In its place, 15 angled and parallel surface parking spaces, along with a dumpster at southwest corner, will be accessed via a one-way driveway that loops around the building.
The DRC appreciated the renovation of the building for a new restaurant but offered comments about the traffic circulation and parking along with encouraging further activation of the façade and outdoor patio dining area. Their full recommendations are detailed below:
DRC Recommendations:
- Evaluate whether the traffic circulation and parking can be reconfigured for the benefit of pedestrian and traffic safety. Final design should include a min. 4’ walkway along the south façade on the building as required by code while still meeting new City tree planting requirements within the parking area.
- Indicate a min. 6’ tall opaque screen in combination with operable gates for the dumpster at the southwest corner of the site.
- Encourage the future tenant to recess the building façade for more outdoor dining. Additional suggestions included a potential roll-up transparent door and for the outdoor dining area using non-permanent decorative railing system, hardy plantings, and ornamental lighting. ginny
- Update the signage package to include a blade sign to catch the attention of passersby along Spring St.
- Since the ownership of this site overlaps with the ownership of the site immediately south, modify the south adjacent existing curb cut and driveway to be max 12’ wide ingress only - consistent with previous approvals.
Next Steps:
The committee expects to receive updated info for electronic review to confirm that these minor comments will be addressed.