Thanks to the Covington Business Council’s first Hard Hat Tour of 2022, the public was able to witness the progress of the Republic Bank renovation at 535 Madison Ave.
A development team named The Covington Republic LLC, consisting of Sparen Real Estate, Manning Construction, and WorK Architecture + Design, bought the building in fall of 2019. They are in the process of completely renovating the 27,000 square feet of space.
On Tuesday, Pat Frew of the CBC, Nick Manning of Manning Contracting, and Joe Stevie of Sparen Construction were on hand to give a tour of the project in progress.
“It’s a good building for any business, really,” Stevie said. “As long as you don’t need a dock and it’s just straight office space, creative space, I think it’s great for any business.”
The project has taken approximately three years to complete and has cost $4.9 million. The renovations will provide the building with four floors of highly coveted Class A office space. The firm kept historical woodworking, ornate tile, iron railings and high ceilings, as well as installing a larger elevator.
The development will be capped off with a rooftop bar and restaurant. The restaurant will provide 360 degree views of the Ohio and Licking Rivers. The restaurant is expected to fill jobs, while the office space below will fill another 40.
Participants of the Hard Hart Tour were shown the renovation progress on the 5th floor which used to house Strategic Advisers LLC. According to Stevie, construction workers have gutted floors 2, 3, 4 and 6. The original timeline of the project was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was initially slated to be completed by the end of April 2022.
Participants also toured the future rooftop bar and restaurant. Bill Whitlow, who also started Rich’s Proper Food & Drink, is the mastermind behind the restaurant. During the tour, the restaurant was in the construction process as boards, insulation and temporary wooden railings were some of its most noticeable features.
However, once completed, the restaurant will feature a glass wall that has the capability to accordion-open. The glass wall can be closed in the winter to give diners a comfortable, indoor experience.
“Our hope is that the doors are wide-open for eight months a year,” Manning said.
The rooftop will also feature an outdoor heating element, bathrooms, and another bar/serving station.
Manning said the restaurant is expected to be serving food by July 15.