Developer reveals plans for Hargett Street site in downtown Raleigh

A vintage store that is moving from its longtime home on West Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh could be replaced by a restaurant and offices by early 2019.

The site, now home to Father & Son Antiques, would be renovated and expanded into a five-story building with two outside decks, under plans submitted by the MMP Hargett 107 limited liability company. The Raleigh Connoisseur first reported the site plans on Monday.

The building now has three stories facing Hargett Street and a ground floor extending to the rear. Plans call for a street-level restaurant or retail, next to the Death and Taxes restaurant owned by Ashley Christensen, and offices on the second, third and fourth floors.

The fifth floor could be a restaurant or an event space, property manager Reid Jones of Mikels & Jones said Monday. The fourth and fifth floors will be recessed to allow room for outdoor seating or dining.

The main entrance will be where it is now for the store, and another doorway will lead to a lobby and elevator.

Jones said there will be modifications to the storefront, but an effort will be made to retain much of the way it looks now.

“We want to keep the character of the outside of the building, not tear it down, and renovate so the inside has an old and new feel,” Jones said. “It fits in with the block.”

The project would more than triple the size of the building to 25,489 square feet.

Father and Son has occupied that location for more than 20 years. Last December, owners Brian and Kiyomi Ownbey were told the building was under contract to be sold.

In April, MMP Hargett 7 bought the property for $900,000, and gave the Ownbeys the time they needed, until the end of the year, to move. Jones said the plan is to start construction in May, and be ready to occupy in early 2019.

In October, the couple announced they had found a new place several blocks away on South West Street, which keeps the business downtown.

Clearscapes Architects has signed on to design the new building.

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 4:19 PM with the headline "Developer reveals plans for Hargett Street site in downtown Raleigh."