Floral shop proposal gets early look from Planning Commission
Adaptive reuse pitched for former bank at Cleveland Avenue and West Main Street
The only item on the Westerville Planning Commission’s agenda Monday night was a conceptual review of plans to convert the vacant bank at the southwest corner of Cleveland Avenue and West Main Street into a Connells Maple Lee Flowers & Gifts shop. The florist is exploring purchasing the property, but any progress depends on rezoning the parcel from Office/Institutional to Community Commercial to allow retail use. The review was non-binding and aimed to provide early guidance before a formal application is submitted.
Senior Planner Jeff Buehler told commissioners that the proposed use is “relatively low intensity” and aligns with the site and the city’s long-term community plan, which designates the area for suburban commercial activity. Commissioners present agreed, noting they had no concerns about the zoning change and described the florist as a quieter neighbor than recent proposals, especially after the drive-through was removed.
The building’s banking history goes back many years. The current one-story brick-and-limestone building was constructed in the 1970s and later added a three-lane drive-through on its south side. Liberty Bank operated the branch until 2022, when it merged with Middlefield Bank. After the merger, Middlefield moved Liberty’s customers to its Uptown Westerville office, leaving the Cleveland Avenue location vacant.
Since then, Middlefield has reshaped its local presence. The bank shut down its Uptown branch and, in October, moved to a new building at Polaris Parkway and Cleveland Avenue. It acquired the Polaris property through a land swap with the City of Westerville. In exchange, the city received the Uptown bank building, a landmark dating back to 1911, when it first opened as the Bank of Westerville. The city says it has no immediate plans for the building.
Interest in the vacant Cleveland Avenue site has appeared intermittently. The most significant effort was a proposal for a Tim Horton’s bakery and coffee shop that never gained approval from the City Council. The council rejected the rezoning and preliminary development plan after traffic consultants advised that the restaurant would need new medians on both Cleveland Avenue and Main Street to prevent left turns into the drive-through. Ultimately, the council decided the use was too intensive for the parcel, and the plan was declined.
The new idea emphasizes adaptive reuse instead of replacement, maintaining the colonial-style building mostly unchanged.
The west-facing side, which fronts the main parking lot, will remain the primary entrance. That façade, with its gabled portico and traditional white columns, will be refreshed but kept intact. To the south, the building that once housed the three drive-through bays will be reworked. Two bays will be enclosed: one as a walk-in cooler and one as an interior loading bay with a glass overhead door so delivery vans can pull inside during cold weather. The third bay will stay open for seasonal flower and plant displays.
The east side, facing Cleveland Avenue, will experience the most noticeable change. An existing sidewalk that leads nowhere will be removed and replaced with green space. A new section of storefront windows will be added to brighten the street frontage and give the building a more greenhouse-like look. New PVC columns, trim, and paneling will integrate the additions with the original masonry, while aluminum-clad windows and matching roof shingles will complete the update.
Commissioners praised the approach, describing the design as attractive and praising the well-executed reuse of the drive-through structure. Several mentioned that the changes create a better balance with the nearby residential areas than previous redevelopment efforts.
Connells Maple Lee Flowers & Gifts runs a floral and gift boutique in Grove City, serving customers since 2003. The shop offers fresh and silk floral arrangements, loose stems, plants, and various gift items. The Westerville proposal would give the company its second location in Central Ohio.
Any formal rezoning and site plan request would be submitted to the Planning Commission for public hearings, then sent to the City Council for final approval. Adjacent property owners would be notified at that stage, providing residents with another chance to give their input.
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