Stogies Cigar Lounge building to be demolished to make way for more downtown parking in Powell

POWELL — Say goodbye to Stogies Cigar Lounge’s current home at 55 E. Olentangy St. because it will soon be demolished to make way for more parking in downtown Powell.

The Powell Development Corporation (PDC) board met Tuesday to approve awarding a $25,000 Façade Grant to property owner Vincent Margello.

The grant covers up to 50% of building demolition costs and installing parking signage, which is estimated to cost $50,375, per a memo sent to the board.

Initially, the PDC planned to award Margello a grant that would have helped cover building renovations costs, but inspections showed the building to be in bad shape, making demolition the right choice.

Stogies will move to its new home at 94 W. Olentangy St. soon.

The demolition opens up opportunities for more public and private parking.

“We have had conversations about a parking arrangement, and council will be considering it here shortly,” City Manager Andy White told the board.

White said if the plan goes through, the existing Local Roots parking lot would get more spots, and the city would lease a parking lot south of what is now Stogies.

“The city anticipates to pick up an estimated 60 spaces,” he said.

White added the city would install signs clearly identifying the downtown lot as public parking. Similar signs with red posts could be used to distinguish private parking areas from the city’s blue-posted public lots.

The additional parking would be temporary, however, because Margello eventually plans to redevelop the property, White said.

If the agreement moves forward, White said he’s hopeful he can bring those parking spots to the public by the fall, and they would remain available as public parking spots for four years.

“The benefit too, is that when some of these private businesses are overrun with parking volume, there’s now 60 public spaces directly next door,” White said.

The planning and zoning staff will make the final say about demolition, but Hughes noted Margello is already working with staff regarding the project.

City has been working to fix parking woes

Local Roots owner Jessi Iams-Kaniaris has previously come before city council to express her frustration with the lack of downtown parking.

She said she has installed large signs making clear the lot is reserved for her customers and has begun towing vehicles parked there for other purposes.

City officials have been working to address parking problems this year by advancing shared-use parking in private lots and adding valet services to downtown until the end of the year.

The city has also added more signage to public lots so they are easily identifiable.