Historic Preservation Commission approves new building for Promenade

A new kid soon is coming to the block at the Calhoun Street Promenade.

A new mixed-use building on undeveloped property at 15 Promenade St. was approved earlier this month by the Bluffton Historic Preservation Commission. The building -- designed by Mike Vaccaro of Ludtke & Vaccaro Architects LLC -- will be three stories, with a restaurant on the first floor and two apartments each on the second and third floors, Vaccaro said.

"From my viewpoint, Old Town Bluffton is the place to be and kind of the place to go in Bluffton now," Vaccaro said, "and that's only going to get better as more of these restaurants and retail are following in."

The building was approved with two conditions, according to Vaccaro. The color of the stucco on the back side of the building must be adjusted to delineate between the floors, and faux bricked-in windows must be added to the sides of the building.

Vaccaro started working on this project eight months ago with Bluffton resident Margie Backaus, who is financing the building. They first presented plans to the commission July 10.

Shawn Leininger, Bluffton's planning and community-development manager, said Vaccaro and Backaus worked closely with the commission on the design and promoted "the preservation and protection of the legacy of the Old Town Bluffton Historic District."

Backaus said potential tenants have shown interest in the apartments, which will be in the flat style, marked by large windows and open interior spaces.

She said the restaurant, the Lost Art of Dining, will offer table-side service. The front of the restaurant will have a two-sided bar that opens up to the promenade.

Although some of the features are modern, reclaimed bricks are being used, and other features should make the building look like it's been there for years, Backaus said.

"Our intention was to make sure it not only had a look that fit in but that it also had that Old Town Bluffton feel," said Backaus, whose partner is chef James Soules. "We want to ensure it's actually adding and taking a step forward in where Old Town is going."

Vaccaro, who also serves as the Promenade's consulting architect, said its first building went up around 2006 and the area has been growing quickly since. He said there currently are about 20 to 25 businesses in the storefronts that include a mix of retail stores, restaurants and offices.

Backaus said her newest addition to the Promenade will cost upwards of $1 million. She said she is working with local contractors and is committed to the growth of the area.

"That's a good amount of money that's going into economy, and we are trying to make sure a majority of that money stays local," Backaus said. "That's important to me, trying to be a good neighbor."

Follow reporter Sarah Bowman on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Sarah.

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Old Town might get new look, but parking remains an issue, July 13, 2013

This story was originally published August 14, 2013 at 8:41 PM with the headline "Historic Preservation Commission approves new building for Promenade."