Old Spaghetti Warehouse building 'needs to be taken down,' plans submitted to city say
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A proposal that would see the former Spaghetti Warehouse building in Franklinton demolished may be moving forward.
The Robert Weiler Company submitted plans in January for a 500-unit building and a 500-space parking garage on the site. Those plans, which would require the existing building at 397 W. Broad St. to be demolished, are going before the Downtown Commission on Tuesday after some changes.
In a letter to the commission, three companies described their plans to redevelop the site. The project, called 397 West Broad, LLC, is a venture owned by Robert Weiler of the Robert Weiler Company, Pat Kelley of Kelley Companies, and Doug Pak, owner of Spaghetti Warehouse.
The building has been the subject of multiple unsafe notices and violations from the City of Columbus since its roof collapsed in 2022, according to the letter. In June, it was also included on the nonprofit Preservation Ohio's list of historic Columbus sites that are endangered. Spaghetti Warehouse has since opened a new storefront Downtown on South High Street.
"This building is simply too old and unsafe and needs to be taken down," the letter said.
As for what could be built there, details are sparse. Despite previous indications that a 534-unit building and 577-space parking garage would be built in its place, the letter to the commission made no such commitment. It said the three groups in partnership intend to "redevelop this property with a mixed-use building but there are no concrete plans to share at the moment."
Weiler told NBC4 he would like it to be a five-story apartment building with around 250 apartments and two levels of parking. He said for the plan to go forward, it would need to be approved by the Downtown Commission, but that it likely won't happen at the upcoming meeting. More detailed plans are expected to be submitted to the commission before the new year.
"We plan to present our redevelopment options and renderings before year end," the letter said.