The city is considering different possible uses for leased former restaurant space in The Commons in downtown Columbus.
The Republic file photo
City officials are holding off on looking for restaurant tenants at The Commons due a number of factors, including continued closure of the spaces in question.
The Columbus Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution in November authorizing Devour, LLC, doing business as Orange Leaf, to terminate its lease effective at the end of 2021. The Commons’ other interior restaurant tenant, Subway, began formal negotiations about ending its lease a year ago and left in July, according to city officials.
Redevelopment Director Heather Pope said that the commission hasn’t begun marketing the spaces, as both are closed. According to Pope, Orange Leaf’s lease states that the space is 678 square feet. The business entered into its lease in March of 2015. The Subway space is 1,249 square feet; its lease was executed in November of 2011.
In terms of cost, Orange Leaf’s rent was $621.50 per month, $7,458 per year, said commission attorney Stan Gamso. Subway’s rent was close to $3,000 per month and $35,721 per year. Both businesses also paid a $3 per square foot maintenance fee.
The Commons is owned by the city and operated by the city’s parks department, explained Pope. The redevelopment commission leases tenant spaces from The Commons Board and subleases them to tenants.
The center has largely remained closed to the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the exception of private rental events. Orange Leaf and Subway had been closed since March of 2020 and were granted continuing rent relief by the commission due to their inability to open, as they have no external entrances. Commons Manager Shanda Sasse said in September that Orange Leaf was also waiting on a reopening date for the Commons indoor playground, which is still under renovation.
Pope stated that when Subway left, officials sought a downtown leasing agent’s opinion on the space.
“At that time, which was earlier this year, he felt it would be a challenge, regardless, to lease the Subway space, especially added to that not being able to access the space and open it up to the public,” she said. “And so, at this point, we’re kind of holding tight just to see how things go.”
Pope added that they’re also keeping an eye on the status of the pandemic and the timeline for when businesses have their employees return to in person work (which would affect downtown foot traffic). The continued renovation of the playground is also a factor in their decision to hold off on marketing the spaces.
She said that once the city decides to begin looking for new tenants, officials will likely put together marketing materials and work with a leasing agent.
“In the past, we’ve worked with Russell Development and had good luck with them,” she said. “They helped bring us Luciana’s and Orange Leaf. And so, we would work with them to help market the space and get it in front of the right businesses that are looking to expand or open up a new store at the same time that we’re looking to occupy one of our spaces.”
Pope said that one company reached out about possibly leasing space, though it is not a “traditional” Commons tenant. The center is more used to seeing retail, dining, arts or entertainment establishments, which the business does not fall under.
Officials also considered converting the former Subway location into a rentable room, which is something The Commons saw demand for pre-pandemic.
“They would get calls frequently, wanting to reserve some of those tables that were in the food court area for their child’s birthday party or an anniversary party or some kind of an event,” said Pope. “… We were not able to reserve the tables. It’s a food court; they’re a ‘first come, first served’ type place.”
With that in mind, city officials discussed converting the former Subway space into a leasable room. Pope estimated that during a busy weekend or school break, The Commons would’ve been able to turn the room around two or three times a day.
However, the center is not looking into this option at present, due to issues with part-time staffing.
“Currently, they do not have enough staff to turn that space into a leasable room rental,” she said, “because they just wouldn’t be able to get it turned around in time in order to rent the next space and therefore wouldn’t be able to capture the same amount of income that you would from a tenant.”
Pope also noted that while officials would like to have the space “activated sooner rather than later,” they also want to ensure that they choose a business that compliments other downtown attractions.
For instance, when the playground was still open, Commons management saw groups of kids visit not only their playground, but also kidscommons and Zaharako’s. It would be good to have something that complements that “trifecta,” she said.
The lease agreement with The Commons states that “the rental space of the premises will be for shopping, dining, arts and/or entertainment, that will promote the Columbus downtown as a destination for Columbus residents and visitors and do so in a way that, in combination with other retail dining and arts and entertainment areas, promotes the goals of the city of Columbus’s strategic development plan.”
