GianMarcos owner proposes pizza restaurant at Oxmoor Road lot
A new proposal for the vacant, city-owned lot at 165 Oxmoor Road has been introduced by the owners of Edgewood restaurant GianMarco's.
Owner Giani Respinto provided renderings of the proposed 2,000-square-foot restaurant, Pizzeria GM, to council members and Mayor Scott McBrayer at the Sept. 26 city council meeting. The proposal will be discussed in greater detail at a public hearing on Oct. 10.
Respinto said that GianMarco's has been successful over the past 14 years, but its "white tablecloth" atmosphere has made it seem inaccessible to some. Pizzeria GM would be "approachable to young families," Respinto said, which made it ideal for the lot next to Patriot Park.
"We want to combine family and date night," he said.
Pizzeria GM would have New York-style pizza by the pie, with the most expensive item being $15. Other menu items include salads, small plates, sandwiches, desserts and 20 draft beers and six draft wines on tap.
The renderings Respinto provided include two different outdoor seating areas, one specifically for the bar and one for the remainder of the restaurant, and a games area that would have space for bocce ball, horseshoes and cornhole. There would be 23 off-street parking spaces.
Respinto offered $135,000 for the lot, which is the city's original asking price. He said his proposal includes "minor" incentives from from the city to offset the costs of constructing the new building.
More details of the project will be developed if the city decides to move forward with the proposal, but Respinto said he wants to create "something new and cool." He estimated about a year's construction time if approved.
In closing, Respinto said that 14 years ago, many people said he was crazy for opening GianMarco's in Edgewood.
"I'm going to be crazy again," he said.
The council will take up the issue again on Oct. 10.
Other council business included:
- Approval of phase I and II of the Mayfair sidewalk project at funding up to $70,000.
- Approval to purchase two license plate readers for the police department, though the city is still working on its privacy and use policy.
- Accepted a bid of $1,197,000 from Dunn Construction for the first stage of the citywide paving project.
- Approved the 2016-2017 budget. A few of the changes made to the budget include increasing funding for new construction to $437,000 and funding a consultant to help the city develop its own bus service after disagreement over a proposed 18 percent increase in fees to the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority with no change in services.
- Approved a one-time bonus for city employees out of the budget surplus, ranging from $350 to $2,000 depending on longevity and costing $375,000 in total.
- Approved a fence variance at 612 Hambaugh Avenue to build a 4-feet-high picket fence.
- Approved a tent variance at 1114 Oxmoor Road.
- Approved a sign variance at 809 Green Springs Highway.
- Approved a crosswalk on Manhattan Street at Gainswood Road.
- Approved the state-level building construction permit fee and construction industry craft training fee.
- Set a bid opening date of Oct. 3 for bids on wrecker/towing services and animal control/veterinary services.
- Carried over discussion of making Rumson Road a one-way street and sidewalk construction on that street.
- Carried over a discussion of reconsidering the home energy section of the International Building Code, as the council felt they needed more information before making a decision.
- Carried over a public hearing to consider annexing 913 and 1400 Shades Crest Road.
- Carried over consideration of a franchise agreement with Level 3 Communications.
- Denied a sign ordinance variance request for 2900 Linden Avenue.