Architectural review panel approves redesigned proscenium building for Carmel Midtown green, pending ADLS review

The Carmel Redevelopment Commission’s Architectural Review Committee on Monday approved an architectural design for a proscenium structure on the Carmel Midtown green that replaces an earlier tavern concept with roughly 4,000 square feet of office space and a 1,100-square-foot coffee house, with final approval subject to the ADLS review process.

The committee’s approval follows a presentation from staff. Miss Glasby, a staff member, said the developer "saw a need for additional office space in the area," and added the project keeps a coffee-shop component intended to serve residents and nearby offices.

The change updates an element that has appeared in the project concept since 2016–2018. Commissioner Eysen said she was disappointed the original tavern concept had shifted, noting the project had been promised to the public in earlier renderings: "I'm expressing a little disappointment because I voted for, well, this is before I returned to the project, but we did vote for some changes to some projects, and this was always something that was promised as part of this project for many years." The transcript shows committee members debated how the on-site building would interact with the public green and whether the earlier concept had matched what was built on surrounding blocks.

Committee members described the design change as both an aesthetic update and a use change: speakers said the look moved from a more rustic design toward a more modern appearance, and the interior program shifted from a previously proposed mix (restaurant/tavern and other uses) to office plus coffee. The committee recommended approval of the architectural design and clarified that the vote was for design only, not for final approval of the building’s use.

The committee directed staff to carry remaining details through the ADLS process with DOCS. Items the committee flagged for later review include the sign package, landscaping plan, materials (siding, brick, masonry), umbrellas or pergolas, patio/planter separation from the lawn, and any shade protection. Miss Glasby said those items would be vetted during ADLS review.

The committee voted in favor of the design; the motion passed with affirmative votes announced as "Aye." The approval is therefore conditional on completion of the ADLS review and any related administrative approvals.

Unattributed remarks in the meeting noted that previous restaurant uses in the broader development had not persisted; one speaker referenced the closure of a Wahlburgers location as part of the changed retail environment that factored in the developer’s decision to reduce restaurant space. The transcript does not specify whether use approvals or any park-impact-fee questions tied to the green were resolved; Commissioner Eysen had asked about park impact fees and whether the site would remain activated for public use, and the committee did not take separate action on those policy issues at this meeting.

The committee concluded the item by approving the architectural design and confirming remaining technical details will be resolved through ADLS review.