LIBERTY TWP. – Aspiring chefs may soon be offering their dishes at the Liberty Food Park – an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex that will be built near Lakota East High School.
Trustees approved preliminary plans and a necessary zone change Tuesday to allow the project to move forward.
Besides food, the park will have a bar, a stage for live music and outdoor space for a variety of activities including volleyball.
Heather and Mike Ewers plan to have spaces for six chefs – five offering food, the sixth serving ice cream and desserts at a two-story, 13,322-square-foot building planned for a 3.4-acre site on Wyandot Lane at Lakota Lane.
“This is a concept we wanted to bring to Liberty Township. It’s really inspired by markets in Europe,” Mike Ewers said.
“Six different restaurant concepts … all housed under one roof (provide) the Liberty Township community with an eclectic mix of affordable priced, chef-inspired cuisine.”
The Ewers operate such a facility in Belize but this is their first such complex in the United States.
“It was important to us to bring a fun, family-centered establishment to the place we live in,’’ said Heather Ewers. “Parents can relax, the kids will be occupied.”
Food areas offering walk-up ordering will be on the first floor. Each will be required through their three-year lease to offer multiple options, a minimum of one child’s menu option and a weekend brunch offering.
Restauranteurs will be required to offer their full menu from open to close: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays through Wednesdays; 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays; and brunch, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
Along with the food, the 10,360 square-foot first floor offers seating, a stage, a bar, and a separate wine and coffee bar. The 2,962-square-foot mezzanine would have a bar, lounge, and additional seating.
A large, bi-fold glass hangar door and two, large, glass roll-up doors would connect the indoor and outdoor spaces.
Outdoor space includes three sand volleyball courts and bocce courts along with areas for pingpong, cornhole and space for themed movie nights.
“We very much want this to be an indoor/outdoor venue similar to the environment we have in Belize,’’ Heather Ewers said. “We can close the doors and keep it warm when it’s cold but we want to open up as much as possible.”
A 10-foot asphalt bike path along the south side of Wyandot Lane would be part of the Miami 2 Miami trail system. There would also be a 6-foot wide concrete sidewalk on the west side of Lakota Lane.
The Ewers plan to partner with the schools, community organizations, and nonprofit groups to host gatherings. They envision trivia nights, live music, and summer movie nights at the site, expected to open in spring or summer 2023.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2022/02/16/liberty-township-entertainment-center-gets-go-ahead-trustees/6814860001/
