MagPies and Lot 2017 Hometown News

ReStore Avilla Acquires Former MagPie’s Property

Article by Dawn Kelly & Photo by Kevin Kelly – Hometown News, avillanews@gmail.com – January 1, 2018

AVILLA — Over the past few months ReStore Avilla’s focus has been on locating and purchasing property for a pocket park project.  A pocket park is a mini-park, that utilizes a small or irregular piece of land in an urban area that provides a place for residents to enjoy taking a lunch break, to use it as a small event or gathering space or to use as a play area for children.

Todd Carteaux announced in October that ReStore was working on closing and acquiring 126 East Albion Street, in Avilla, known as MagPie’s Pizza (formerly Julie’s Place). The acquisition included the intention to use the bare land as a pocket park location and to give the building to a business owner who was interested. With the MagPie’s Pizza building and the lot standing empty since 2013, Lawrence (Larry) Goldsmith, in October, assisted in the process of donating the building and adjacent vacant lot to ReStore. The vacant lot was selected to be turned into a pocket park by ReStore and once the park is established, it has been determined to be turned over to the Avilla Parks Department.

Carteaux announced at the end of November that the paperwork was in place for the acquisition. During the December 11th ReStore meeting, members were asked to vote to transfer ownership of the building to a new owner, who is currently in the process of purchasing a business. This business will be relocated to the building at 126 East Albion Street, sometime next summer. This new owner, who wished to remain anonymous at the time of the December meeting, has paid the transfer costs of the building and the land and will be paying the liens on the building so that ReStore can take over ownership of the properties.

A structural engineer has assessed the building to determine its condition and found that the original brick structure is in reasonably good shape, but needs some minor repairs and maintenance. The addition, however, on the rear side of the brick is in bad condition and will be taken down.

Restoration of the exterior of the building will begin in the spring as soon as weather permits. Although the restaurant has been closed for a few years, the utilities were not shut off until approximately a year ago, so the interior of the building will need to be completely redone. Once this has been finished, the new business will move in and there will be one less vacant building in the downtown area. 

 

Restore Avilla | Downtown Revitalization Organization Avilla Indiana
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