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Board gives informal feedback on restaurant conversion at 16 North High Street
Summary
The Dublin Architecture Review Board provided nonbinding feedback on proposed site and building modifications for 16 North High St., supporting a pedestrian walkway and deferred full parking and engineering review to the minor project stage while urging reconsideration of dumpster siting and securing an existing garage.
The Dublin Architecture Review Board on Tuesday reviewed an informal proposal to convert the landmark building at 16 North High Street to restaurant use, offering nonbinding feedback on site changes and access.
Staff presented the request, noting the 0.26-acre site is in the Historic Core District and includes two buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Staff said the proposal would remove the current vehicular access from North High to create a pedestrian path between 16 and 22 North High, resurface and restripe an existing parking lot, add one on-site parking space, enclose openings of an existing outbuilding facing North Blacksmith Lane, install a dumpster enclosure, and install rooftop screening for a required Type 2 kitchen exhaust hood. The staff report also said the code-calculated parking requirement is 20 spaces; the applicant proposes three on-site spaces (including one ADA) with the balance provided off-site within the 600-foot limit for public parking.
Eliza Ho, representing the applicant, told the board the 1,600-square-foot front building is envisioned as a primarily takeout, fast-casual Asian operation with a small patio on the east side. Ho said the owner is focusing on stabilizing and renovating the front building in an initial phase and would present seating layouts and renderings at the minor project review.
Board members and staff pressed for more detail on parking and curb interactions. The board’s chair asked for a holistic view of parking in the area; Sarah Holt of transportation staff said the city completed an 18-month curb-management and parking study with hourly monitoring and concluded there is ample parking in the historic district. Holt said the study data could be provided in greater detail at the minor project stage.
Members focused much discussion on refuse and service access. Multiple board members suggested the dumpster may be better sited behind the existing garage to conceal it and reduce visible impacts from Blacksmith Lane, noting grade changes and mature trees could constrain alternatives. The applicant said they had discussed truck access with the trash hauler and would study alternate locations and the feasibility of relocating utilities and access in later phases.
The board also supported the proposed pedestrian walkway and called for engineering review of sight lines and vehicle–pedestrian interactions when the project reaches the next review stage. Members asked that the existing garage be secured now — with the applicant saying they plan to enclose and stabilize the structure — and recommended the applicant continue to refine dumpster placement and screening.
No public comments were offered during the informal review. The board concluded the concept is promising and encouraged the applicant to return for a minor project review with the additional parking and site details staff requested.
