Will long-vacant movie theater in University District become a live music club and coffee shop?
A long-vacant Columbus movie theater building may become a club with live bands in a burgeoning area of the University District's SoHud neighborhood. That's the dream of Bobby Miller, who wants to convert the dilapidated theater building at 367-371 Hudson St. near Summit Street into a club called Lovebirds with a rooftop patio, an outdoor patio area out back with seating and a covered stage, and a bocce ball court. It would also house a Honey Cup Coffee shop during the day. "I live right around the corner from this building. I love creating something in the neighborhood," said Miller, who used to book acts at the Ace of Cups on North High Street. More: Downtown Commission votes to demolish Main Bar, upsetting Columbus Landmarks, others  But the plan hit a hurdle on Tuesday when the Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment knotted 2-2 on a request by the building's owner, Bubbykins LLC, to reduce the number of required on-site parking spaces from 41 to zero. Miller said Bubbylkins, a company created by Nick Wolak, the owner of Evolved Body Art at 2520 Summit St., close to the Hudson Street building, might go back to the board this summer to ask for a vote with the full five-member board. Bubbykins bought the 3,100-square-foot Hudson property in 2017 for $72,500. Miller said he worries that if he and the building owner can't get a variance, the building may have to be demolished. "If we don't get a variance, it's a death sentence for this building," he said. "Nick has been holding off the city for several years now. They've wanted to tear this building down. This is kind of the last gasp," Miller said. "We put in so much time and energy to try to save this building." Wolak said the community has wanted to save the building for a long time. "It keeps getting tangled and messed up. Its frustrating," Wolak said. Miller said he has been looking for the right building to house his club for at least a decade. He hadn't found anything right until this one, about two years ago, and it was right under his nose the whole time. "It's a high visibility location. It straddles the line between north campus and south Clintonville," he said. And it's just around the corner from the Rumba Cafe and down the street from The Rambling House, both of which also host live music. "I always say that Ive been looking to create a neighborhood gem, a hub of sorts," he said. "The building has been in disrepair for decades. This would add some light and energy to that corner, he said. The dilapidated building on Hudson Street is a familiar landmark for neighbors and the many who travel past each day. The theater was built in 1925 and now has boards covering up the front. The theater auditorium has already been demolished. Murals grace one side, including a black-and-yellow Crew-themed "Respect Your Roots" message. Old Crew Stadium, which hosted its last Crew game on June 19, is a little more than a half-mile away. Miller, who said he has been a concert promoter since 2005, said he wants to host live music on the second floor three to five nights a week, in a room with a capacity of 100-150. "Im very sensitive to wanting to be a good neighbor. I'm not going to be blasting music out the back very often. Mostly it will be like singer-songwriter-type stuff," Miller said. Miller gave a brief tour of the building earlier this week, showing where a lounge would be on the first floor, where the second-floor stage would be against the Hudson Street wall, the original floor tiles on the first floor, the wall openings for the film projectors that still remain on the second. He estimated the rehab costs at $500,000. He'd like to open it by next spring. Miller said he has about 15 spaces for parking, with another 13 behind Evolved. But some have concerns about the lack of parking in the area for the proposed club. Deb Gallagher, vice president of the University Community Association, said in an email that while the association likes the concept of Lovebirds and supports developing the property, it objects to the parking variance since it wouldn't have required any spots. While there was a lot of support from the neighbors, who like the owners and the ability to walk to the proposed venue, and there is open parking on nearby streets, Gallagher said not enough consideration was given to the fact that there were fewer students using those open parking spaces this past year because of COVID-19. And long-term parking issues haven't been addressed, Gallagher said. "We are also concerned about the outside patio (which is where the parking should be) and deck party areas due to possible noise issues from amplified music," she said. "As you know, the University District is the most densely populated area in the state and parking is at a premium. More congestion and noise is not something we can support in what is a residential area." The University Area Commission supported the project and variance. Doreen Uhas Sauer, the commission's president, said many residents gave it a thumbs up. "We received a ton of feedback on it," she said. Michael Kehlmeier, the area commission's zoning co-chair, said the building has been a blight on the neighborhood for a long time. "Something needs to go in there," he said. mferench@dispatch.com  @MarkFerenchik