Ethos Hospitality Group
Developer and restauranteur Bobby George's new concept, a semi-outdoor eatery, that will replace three vacant buildings in the historic part of the Flats.
That's Cleveland developer Bobby George's plan, at least. Last week, George and his architectural team detailed concepts for a three-building restaurant and entertainment complex that would act as a hypermodern "gateway" from the Flats East Bank neighborhood to the mythical, age-old Flats further south along the Cuyahoga.
The plan, concepts of which were approved with conditions by the Cleveland Planning Commission on Friday, would be to construct a three-part eatery linked by a dynamic communal outdoor space. Two interior spots would serve up what George calls "Meditter-Asian" cuisine; a large "River Garden" would offer myriad food kiosks and boat parking for denizens of the Cuyahoga.
"We're talking a large amount of outdoor dining, something I think we're missing on the riverfront," David Bowen, George's principal architect on the project, told the Commission on Friday. "People will be served right on their boats—just like it used to be in the Flats.
"This is totally new for this region," he added, "and we want to really make it top-shelf."
Old River Road, the semi-ghost town portion of Downtown's party blocks, has long suffered from highs and lows of activity and vacancy lulls.
The 1220 building, which was previously home to Roc Bar, has been empty for a decade. (Its neighbor became Collision Bend Brewery.) And the two others—1198 and 1204—have crept into unusable territory after changing owners multiple times since their high points in the 1980s and 1990s. "It's blighted," George said.
With the Flats East Bank eyeing application for status as a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area later this year, George's longstanding desire to enliven a long-dead portion of Old River, a site he's been wanting to develop since 2017, could be a boon to a Downtown on the mend. He and business partners have acquired at least eight buildings in recent years and last year acquired control of a large chunk of the Flats East Bank in a deal with the Wolstein family.
The overall look of the complex, George and Bowen said, was created to leverage the cast shadow from the nearby Main Avenue Bridge, along with the golden-hour sun for its riverside patrons. A lure that begins with the main restaurant's facade: a "bird's nest" look influenced by Beijing architecture.
"The bridge's arms will glow and reflect off the building; that's our vision," Bowen said, showing off the chocolate-brown facade. "We want drama as you go in through this space."
Ethos Hospitality Group
George's "Meditterr-Asian" concept restaurant, the southernmost building, takes its "bird's nest" design influence from being in the shadow of the nearby Main Avenue Bridge.
In the snowier months, George said the River Garden could morph into a Winter Wonderland type of spot. "We will decorate it very beautifully," he said. "It will look awesome."
As for the notion of George's space as a communal lure, with its large tables and boat dining, some Commission members wondered if the River Garden would actually operate as the public space it presented itself as.
"I just want to make sure it feels like that for a lot of people," Lillian Kuri, the board chair, told George.
"What type of people feel like they couldn't come?" George retorted, seeming somewhat irritated. "What are you implying?"
"It is one of the most significant new public spaces," Kuri explained. "If I was strolling down here and I wanted to stroll in here—could I?"
"Madam Chair, we have to make it an affordable price point, so it's casual," George said. "All my places are welcoming to everyone," he added, "as long as you behave and you're just a normal person—that's it."
In a followup interview Monday, George reiterated a slight impatience with the development approval process in Cleveland, yet applauded Mayor Justin Bibb's efforts to streamline it.
Overall, George seems fueled by the prospect of more vibrancy on Old River. More like the energy of the Flats' yesteryear.
"People used to tell me, if you timed it right, you could walk across the river on the boats there were so many," George recalled. "They would boat hop! I mean, the Flats used to be really energetic, and Cleveland lost a lot of that."
He added, "I hope to bring it back."
George's plans will head to the Flats Forward Design Review team on Tuesday. His team, Ethos Hospitality Group, is applying for $1.8 million in state and federal tax credits, which will also bank on approval from the National Park Service.
The River Garden is likely, George told Scene, to break ground in February. It will open "mid-summer."
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