MOUNT VERNON — The old Green Leaf restaurant has new owners, after having been closed since 2004. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis said the new owners told him they expect to reopen within six to 14 weeks, but have yet to decide upon what kind of restaurant it will be.
Mavis said he attended a luncheon at the restaurant Wednesday with about 35 to 40 other people, including many members of the local business community. The event was hosted by new owners Pam and Terry Allison, who also operate a Damon’s restaurant in Newark. He said much of the discussion at the luncheon centered around one question: What kind of restaurant does Mount Vernon need and want?
Mavis said the Allisons do not plan to turn their newly acquired restaurant into a Damon’s or any other franchise restaurant.
“They are interested in bringing something different to Mount Vernon,” he said.
Mavis said a number of proposals were discussed, including a family restaurant or a sports bar, but the question of exactly what style of restaurant it will be was not answered. He said it was generally agreed the new restaurant should have reasonable prices, and good service and good food. He said the quality of food and service was an issue with the Green Leaf Restaurant while it was open.
Mavis said the former owners kept the building in excellent condition, and the large amount of traffic that passes by should make it an ideal location for a restaurant. There is an average of about 22,000 vehicles on Coshocton Avenue a day, he said, and about 5,000 on Upper Gilchrist Road.
“Some people think the mayor is responsible for bringing in new restaurants,” he said. “Of those calls that I receive, most want an Olive Garden to come to the city, followed by Red Lobster and Damon’s.”
In other news, Mavis said the administration submitted an application for state grants to develop the trail system in and around Foundation Park. The plan is to make the park the hub of the surrounding walking trails in the county — the Heart of Ohio Trail out of Centerburg, the Kokosing Gap Trail, and the trails the city plans to create along the dike that stretches from Memorial Park to Arch Park to the West High Street bridge.
If granted, he said, the funding would not be available until 2011 or 2012. Other parts of thelong-range project include building a pedestrian bridge, probably made of wood or concrete, to span the Kokosing River around Norton Street. The estimated cost of the project is $1.5 million. The grant would cover 80 percent of the cost, and the city would have to contribute the rest.
Council agreed to set aside about $75,000 for a new restroom at Foundation Park. The mayor said this project should get under way this year. The restroom will be built in a spot west of the eastern lake, and northeast of the middle lake, near the park’s kiosk and portable restroom.
Mavis also reported that the city may be able to apply for state funds to help finance efforts to clean up the old American National Can property in Clinton Township. The area is a former industrial property that borders the city on its southeastern edge.
He said the Jobs Ready Site program allows communities to apply for funds to develop industrial sites. Until recently, the city did not meet the requirements; the site had to be located beside a four-lane highway and have at least 1,000 acres. But the requirements were recently changed. However, he added, the Feb. 8 deadline is rapidly approaching, and the state generally prefers a private, industrial developer to be involved.
Mavis said he is working with engineer Jim Riddle in efforts to have a bowstring truss bridge moved and set up at Foundation Park to form part of the park’s trail system. Riddle was instrumental in moving a similar bridge to the OSU campus in Newark. The mayor said he hopes to get the bridge moved by the end of February, and hopes Riddle can act as consultant in the project, as he has participated in the relocation of many bridges. Mavis added that he is still looking for volunteers to help in the project, which involves sandblasting and painting the bridge once it is moved.