New businesses open in downtown Marion as buildings change ownership

The renaissance occurring in downtown Marion is expected to continue, according to local development officials.

Vaughn Sizemore, development director for Downtown Marion, Inc., recently told Marion City Council that the city's downtown district has experienced several positive changes since he last updated council in February of this year. He noted that five buildings in the downtown district have changed ownership in the last six months, two new retail businesses and a real estate office have opened, a new church has located downtown, and two upscale loft apartments have been created.

"We're still making great progress," Sizemore said. "It was critical to our downtown that the buildings change owners because the owners we presently had several years ago, most of them were not doing anything with the buildings. So getting them into new hands prompts a new reconstruction and redevelopment."

New businesses that opened in the downtown include retail shop Spruce & Sparrow, 194 W. Center St., and a Coldwell Banker Real Estate office.

Lifepoint Church, which has been meeting in the gymnasium at Marion First Church of the Nazarene, is now located at 162 W. Center St., former home of Nathan's Barbershop. Nathan's is now located at 134 S. State St.

Sizemore noted that since February, all of the 109 properties in downtown Marion that were approved as an Ohio Historic District in December 2021 are now part of the National Register of Historic Places that the Historic Downtown Marion district was designated to in 2022. Those designations have already paid off for one downtown real estate development.

"Interesting to note that $14,000 investment from Downtown Marion, Inc. produced a quarter of a million dollars in tax credits from the Ohio historical program and another quarter of a million from the federal government on the Lydia Project alone," Sizemore said. "So we're already returning on that investment."

The Lydia Project, being supervised by Main Street Reimagined, is restoring the building located at 172 S. Main St. in downtown Marion. The combination of commercial and residential spaces is slated to open in the summer of 2023.

Including the Lydia Project, Sizemore noted that a total of eight projects are in currently in development or will soon be starting in downtown Marion. They include the Kin & Kilt Scottish pub and axe throwing venue on South Prospect Street; a new events venue that will be located in the former Warehouse Italian restaurant on West Center Street; an event space in the former Ohio Theatre on State Street; renovation of the facade at 196 S. Main St.; a wine shop set to open later this year; and a Cajun restaurant and a Mexican restaurant scheduled to open early in 2023.

"The Kin & Kilt has some of the most beautiful restoration that this downtown can show," Sizemore said. "It's an absolute showpiece. The Warehouse restaurant was sold and will turned into an event space. That's the prevailing plan right now. We have an event space under construction in the Opera House. If you haven't driven by there, that's beautiful. The original facade is in and the third floor is under reconstruction right now. That was the former Elks meeting hall. It's quite beautiful. It will be a 100-person event space. They're doing fabulous work in there."

Additionally, a "new exciting development zone" has been identified on North Main Street, Sizemore said. Dubbed the "St. Mary District," the zone extends from Center Street to George Street. He noted that "three, new, well-funded projects under construction now," including a multi-use retail space, an upscale restaurant/wine shop, and a 20-room hotel complex.

"We think (St. Mary District) is a classy name," he said. "We have a Town Center, we have a Lo-Do District, now we have a St. Mary District. We're targeting destination businesses, incubator businesses. Last week I was out recruiting a butcher shop. Seems like a small thing, but it's a signal to the community that we're working. It's very important. Downtown (residents) are very different and we have been keeping a close watch on who they are. We're now exploring new construction opportunities in that North Main Street corridor because we have some missing teeth in that smile and we think new construction would go in there nicely."

Sizemore noted that pedestrian traffic in downtown Marion has increased due in large part to the upswing in retail and dining locations as well as the successful monthly Third Thursday event. The Second Saturday event, driven largely by downtown merchants, has also spurred more feet on the street, he said.

He noted that plans are in the works for more family-oriented holiday events, including a new Christmas parade and other activities. Sizemore noted that he believes the renovation work slated for Founders Park will also attract more events and people to the city's downtown district.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: New businesses open in downtown Marion as buildings change ownership