A building owned by the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority likely will be demolished as part of a purchase agreement.
1601-1609 Washington Street East is in serious disrepair, said Ron Butlin, executive director of the authority. The long vacant building is located on the corner of Washington and Elizabeth streets across from Bluegrass Kitchen.
Nashville-based Fresh Capital Group, a subsidiary of Fresh Hospitality real estate development, entered a development agreement with CURA in November. Fresh Capital was interested in putting two restaurants in the brick building.
But Fresh Capital said the long-vacant building is falling apart, and the best solution would be to demolish it and develop a new structure on the property. Butlin agrees.
"It's economically unsaveable," Butlin said.
CURA purchased the building in 2013 after more than two years of condemnation proceedings.
Fresh Capital also plans to construct a two-restaurant building in the 1300 block of Washington Street East on an empty lot CURA owns next to Rite-Aid.
Four restaurants would be coming to Charleston as part of the current deal - Taziki's, a Mediterranean cafe, Little Donkey, a Mexican-style taqueria, Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop and Two Birds Chicken, selling fried and rotisserie poultry.
Butlin said the next step is to negotiate a new contract that addresses when the building will be demolished.
"They're still interested in the deal. We're still interested in the deal," Butlin said. "They're right - the building isn't salvageable. Now we've just got to negotiate the next steps."
A representative from Fresh Capital did not respond to an interview request.
CURA members also agreed to help fund the purchase of a new historical marker for the East End. The marker will be placed on Washington Street East as drivers turn onto the road from Greenbrier Street.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation is paying the majority of the marker's $40,000 cost through a $25,000 grant. CURA will cover the remainder of the costs.
The brick and stone marker is 15 feet tall and more than three feet wide. It also has a solar-powered light on top of the structure.
Mary Beth Hoover, Charleston Main Streets' East End design chairwoman and city council member, said the marker is a way for people visiting the area to understand they are in a historic neighborhood.
"This is going to be something very impactful. They are going to realize they are in a historic neighborhood," Hoover said. "Hopefully it's going to get them to stay there. Hopefully it will get them to eat there and shop there and drive around and take a look."
Hoover said Charleston Main Streets would like to also put a marker on the other end of the East End, near CAMC on Washington Street. They also will partner with the East End Community Association to place smaller markers with similar designs throughout the neighborhood.
They'll break ground on the project next week, Steve Romano, West Side program director at Charleston Main Streets, said. They hope the marker will be completed by the end of July.
Reach Ali Schmitz at ali.schmitz@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @SchmitzMedia on Twitter.