Cincinnati, OH, August 4, 2021 – Graybach, LLC, a local general contracting and construction management company, is awarded general contractor for expansion of iconic downtown Cincinnati butcher shop, Avril Bleh, as part of Court Street revitalization project.
According to the Cincinnati Business Courier:
A storied downtown butcher shop is expanding its space, and its services, as part of a $5.8 million redevelopment in the booming Court Street district.
Avril-Bleh Meat Market & Deli is expanding from its current location at 33 and 35 E. Court St. downtown into neighboring 37 E. Court St., which will allow it to expand its wholesale and retail businesses, as well as add a walk-up window to serve grilled foods to consumers.
The expansion comes as part of a larger redevelopment of 31-37 E. Court St. by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), a $5.8 million project that will see the addition of 14 new condominiums above the street level retail spaces.
Len Bleh, the fourth-generation owner of the shop, is taking the occasion to renovate the entire space as he adds more production space, an indoor grill and hood, new display cases and more processing area. He said the total investment, which included buying 37 E. Court St. from 3CDC, will be about $475,000.
“We’re putting quite an investment into our business because the city is putting such an investment into Court Street,” Bleh said.
Bleh and 3CDC have been working since 2019 on the expansion. Bleh said that he first approached 3CDC CEO Steve Leeper about his building shortly after Court Street Plaza was first announced.
Court Street Plaza is a $5.5 million revitalization of the avenue that widened sidewalks to make it more walkable for pedestrians, and added outdoor seating for dining, events and festival-style street programming. Court Street Plaza debuted to the public in June.
Bleh owns the buildings that house his butchery, but he only uses the first two of four floors. In partnership with 3CDC, those floors will be redeveloped into condos along with space in 31 and 37 E. Court St. for a total of 14 units, with seven two-bedroom condos, six one-bedroom and a studio.
Through the agreement, Bleh purchased the retail space at 37 E. Court St. from 3CDC and the developer bought the upper floors of his buildings at 33 and 35 E. Court St.
“This was a critical component to the overall vision we had for Court Street Plaza,” 3CDC spokesman Joe Rudemiller told me. “Len’s business is an institution, so we felt this was a real opportunity for him to expand and improve his space while simultaneously improving the whole area with this venture.”
The redevelopment will also include a street-level retail space at 31 E. Court St., which could be suitable for another restaurant, bar or retail use. Rudemiller said 3CDC does not yet have a tenant in mind for that space.
The total cost of the project is $5.8 million, which includes Bleh’s $475,000 redevelopment of his commercial space.
Graybach is the general contractor for the redevelopment, with City Studios serving as architect for both the residential and commercial space. Demolition began on Bleh’s butcher shop in late July, and construction is expected to begin in the next 30 to 60 days. The residential portion of the project is estimated to take 12 months.
Bleh hopes to have the retail portion of his shop open by Jan. 1, 2022, with the grill and wholesale processing segments open by early April. Avril-Bleh will operate without interruption amid the construction.
Built on a strong foundation of expertise, reliability, and transparency, Graybach towers above the rest as Cincinnati’s most trusted commercial general contractor and construction management company servicing the public and private markets in Cincinnati and surrounding regions. From honest pricing and on-time completion to anticipating needs and exceeding expectations, Graybach is an innovation partner for your construction challenges today and beyond. To learn more about Graybach, call 513-381-4868 or visit www.Graybach.com.
GRAYBACH: CONSTRUCTING TOMORROW.
