East Side jazz club seeks to open a music venue in Franklinton

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An East Side jazz club is looking to open a music venue in Franklinton.

The Robert Weiler Company and Blu Note Jazz Cafe at 2882 E. Main St. are working to bring a venue to 373-375 W. Rich St. Derrick Pannell, owner of Blu Note, said the venue could include an indoor jazz club and an outdoor space for all types of music.

"In our mind, it's almost operating two separate visions of an outdoor space for the daytime and then … reel it in with a jazz club in the evening," Pannell said.

Blu Note's existing location features live jazz each night from Tuesday through Saturday.

A recently approved Center City DORA, which will allow people 21 and older to walk around with alcoholic beverages inside the zone, includes the Franklinton location.

"We're included in that DORA," Pannell said. "[We are] understanding where Franklinton is headed and trying to be actively involved in that piece as well."

Following that sentiment, Pannell expressed his desire to keep Franklinton's roots of art, music, and history.

"Knowing the creative space that it has provided, there's obviously been a disruption with commercial coming in, and some of the artistic or creative side being pushed away," Pannell said. "I think this is a way to kind of satisfy both because we're bringing in something new from a commercial standpoint, but we're adding or increasing the creative space that Franklinton has been known for."

The venue would be on the half-acre parcel in Franklinton that is home to two former warehouses that survived the 1913 flood -- Ohio's greatest weather disaster. Pannell said one of the buildings would have to be demolished.

"As we got into looking into the buildings, we realized that the building closest to the train tracks was heavily in shambles, and I would say beyond repair," Pannell said. "As much as I would love to have had both buildings, from a safety standpoint, it was just determined that it would be best to knock down the one closest to the tracks."

Before demolition can take place, the East Franklinton Review Board and the Historic Resources Commission would have to approve the plan. The Department of Building and Zoning could then issue a demolition permit.