The digital billboard atop the 10-story-high Plaza Towers has advertised a restaurant coming soon for months. With the property in new hands after a foreclosure sale, the long-awaited new dining spot could become reality.
Trent Overhue, co-founder of Affordable Family Storage, bought the property on the corner of East Sunshine Street and Glenstone Avenue, along with the adjacent retail center, for $13,364,000 during a foreclosure auction April 10. While Overhue has owned the building for less than a month, he told the News-Leader plans are quickly moving along to deliver on projects started by the previous owner.
Overhue said he plans to complete the restaurant promised on the first floor and is actively looking for a tenant to occupy the space. He said the space is largely complete with only tenant-specific finishes left to do. Plans for a coffeeshop are even further along, with negations actively ongoing, he said, hopeful that it will move forward “relatively quickly.”
Overhue estimated that the planned event center would be complete and ready within the next 60-90 days. According to previous reporting by Springfield Business Journal, the space was anticipated to be roughly 5,000 square feet with a capacity of 200. The previously anticipated rooftop lounge and bar is also still in the works.
As far as the building’s professional office tenants, who include consultants, medical doctors, law firms, and more, Overhue said there are no anticipated changes beyond looking for more people interested in occupying the tower.
Currently, there is not much extra planned beyond the projects previously started. Overhue said he plans to revamp the landscaping with additional esthetic upgrades, but these are not expected to have a significant impact on the tenants. Exterior facade improvements are planned for the nearby retail center in addition to landscaping.
Overhue did not disclose how much he was investing to complete the started projects.More: Springfield’s Plaza Towers property sold at foreclosure sale for $13.3 million
The property was auctioned by OMB Bank, which argued that previous owner Marco Denis of Springfield Property LLC defaulted on the loans issued by the bank. While he did not default on his payments, the bank claimed he violated terms of the contract when three separate mechanic’s liens were filed against the property for various unpaid renovations and repairs made to the Plaza Towers.
Denis was initially arrested in July on changes of domestic assault and kidnapping. Since then, he is also facing federal charges for illegally possessing firearms, lying about his criminal record when purchasing some of those guns, and additional Greene County charges for allegedly tampering with evidence. Denis’s attorney tried, though unsuccessfully, to stop the foreclosure through restraining orders, arguing the liens were invalid and his client was unable to rectify the situation or give prompt attention to financial proceedings due to being incarcerated.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at [email protected].
