A Bellevue developer has big plans for the former Fifth Third Bank building on Fairfield Avenue, and worked with the city to figure out what leaders might want to see once renovations began.
Fifth Third Bank sold the property in April to developer Mark Ayer.
Bellevue Mayor Charlie Cleves said Ayer asked the city what they would like to see done with the building and Cleves told him he would like to see it restored. Fifth Third Bank made changes to the exterior of the building in 1974 that were modern to the time; however, by today’s standards, Cleves said it looked “terrible” and wanted to see the changes reversed.
Built in 1910, the building’s original tenant was a bar called Central Café. The space became a bank in 1919, known initially as Bellevue Bank, then Fifth Third Bank, and was in operation for 103 years.
“I love it when somebody comes to the city and says, ‘What does the city think we’d like?'” Cleves said. “And that’s really good because then we get to put our two cents worth in. Because taking that façade back to the original façade will make a big difference on the look of that corner.”
The original building had full glass-paneled windows along the side that faces Fairfield Avenue. Those were removed and replaced with smaller ones. The bank also tore out some of the red and yellow decorative brick original to the building and replaced it with concrete. Cleves said Ayer plans to bring back as many of those original details as possible.
Three Spirits Tavern owner’s Leslie and Charlie Zimmerman operate their business adjacent to the building on Fairfield Avenue and are excited to see the new changes.
“My husband Charlie, and I were just remarking on how neat it was to see the restoration of the old bank,” Leslie Zimmerman said. “My husband was raised in Bellevue, but we are both in real estate and we both love historic preservation and restoration.”
The Zimmerman’s own two 100-plus-year-old properties in Bellevue.
“Many of our neighbors have done an excellent job restoring their properties along the Avenue,” Leslie Zimmerman said. “We are happy to be a part of the revitalization of our downtown historic business district.”
As for the inside of the building, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is occupying the office space now. The Playhouse offices will remain there for about a year, Cleves said, while they renovate their theater in Mount Adams.
After the Playhouse vacates the building, Cleves said Ayer plans to develop a mixed-use space with a mix of apartments and businesses.
“He hired an architect, and they came in and looked at the space and said, ‘Here’s what we think you should do,'” Cleves said. “It has a gigantic third floor, with a complete ceiling height. So, they’re telling him he should put two apartments on the second floor and two apartments on the third floor, and the business on the first floor. I think that’s kind of what he’s got in mind.”
The property already has ample parking spaces for residential living and commercial operations from Fifth Third Bank expanding the lot over the years.
LINK reached out to Ayers for comment and will update this story when we receive a response.
