The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
BY NANCY GAGNET | MIRROR REPORTER — A new Monnette’s Market in uptown Maumee is one step closer to breaking ground, following the Design Review Board’s vote to approve building plans.
At the September 5 meeting, Design Review Board members Jim Jarvis, Jackie Miller, Dan Calverley and Bob Brannan voted unanimously in favor of approving the design plan request for a new 9,500-square-foot market in the 200 block of Conant Street.
Board member Alaina Meister did not participate in the meeting because her term on the board expired on August 31 and Maumee City Council has not yet approved her reappointment to another three-year term.
It was the second time business owner Marc Monnette and architect Dwight Gilliland appeared before the board and board members were pleased with the updated renderings.
“Exceptional job of coming back,” said Jarvis. “I’m very happy with all of the items we talked about being incorporated into this. I’m very happy with all of the changes and improvements and modifications that you guys have come up with.”
The west elevation, which faces Conant Street, will look like multiple buildings, with various brick and rooflines along the front elevation. A cafe area with a patio and cast-iron fence will also be situated along the west side of the building.
The main entrance will face south along Broadway.
The board asked for additional changes to the east elevation, which faces St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, to further match the Conant Street side with varied brick. The board also requested changes to the light fixtures in the rear of the building and new material to be used on the trim board, cornices and along the south elevation.
The board focused on the building only. Other issues regarding the dumpster enclosure, landscaping and signage, will be addressed at a later date.
Monnette said he felt confident going into the meeting.
“I feel good,” he said. “They (the architects) did a great job with the drawings; I can’t take much credit for that. I told them what we wanted as far as architectural designs and they just kind of ran with it.”
While Monnette will comply with the request to change the back of the building so it looks more like the front, he doesn’t want the design to confuse his customers.
“That’s one thing as we move forward and design this. I don’t want customers to be going to the back door trying to get it,” he said. “They have to have an identity to the building that this is the grand entry.”
Monnette said he is waiting for beer and wine permits to be approved. He could possibly break ground yet this year, but isn’t sure. Once that does happen, construction should take six to eight months.
