New ‘quality’ restaurant in Piqua? City manager seeks support from residents

Piqua’s City Commission will be asked Tuesday evening to approve leases with the operators of the Basil’s on Market restaurants to open a restaurant and a delicatessen in two spaces on the ground floor of the city-owned Fort Piqua Plaza downtown.

The proposed leases are for 3,578 square feet of space at 110 W. High St. for Locktenders Inc. to operate a restaurant and Stone Ground Deli LLC to operate a delicatessen in 1,400 square feet at 122 W. High St. both in the historic former Fort Piqua Hotel. The building now houses the city’s library and a banquet center on the upper floors. The leases are for five years.

Mulligan’s Pub previously leased the space in the Fort Piqua Plaza before the city late last year declined to sign a new lease with the business.

The proposal faces opposition, according to a Facebook posting Saturday by Gary Huff, Piqua city manager. Huff talked about the proposed leases with Basil’s on Market — operators of restaurants in Troy, Dayton and Mason.

Huff asked Piqua residents to attend the city commission meeting to support the proposal to lease to the proposed “quality” businesses.

“Unfortunately, there is growing opposition to stop the approval of the leases, and it will require that Piqua residents come to the meeting to speak in favor of the leases in order for them to pass. Such negative efforts do nothing but hinder the progress already made within the city that so many have worked to achieve,” Huff wrote. “I am hopeful there will be a large contingent of Piqua citizens in attendance to support this wonderful addition of restaurants to the Piqua community.”

City resident Bill Jaqua asked the city commission at its March 5 meeting to discuss the possibility of his family taking over the Fort Piqua Plaza management. The family’s catering company operates the Meadowbrook at Clayton for the city of Clayton. A commission member invited Jaqua to submit a proposal, according to the commission meeting minutes.

The resolutions council will be asked to approve to lease the spaces to Basil’s state the lease of the property does not need to be advertised for bids.

The Piqua City Commission meets at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Government Complex.

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