Roger Trettel is bringing new life to 50 Broadway, the latest project he has undertaken in the Ellicott/Broadway area that has seen significant new investment over the past year. He purchased the 6,275 sq.ft. building last July.
In 2006, Trettel renovated the circa-1875 Buehl Block at the corner of Ellicott and Broadway with a mix of retail space and upscale lofts. He later renovated adjacent 285 Ellicott Street where global engineering firm, Tetra Tech had its local offices until moving to 301 Ellicott, the former Emulso Products building also owned by Trettel. Across the street he renovated the former Hengerer’s Department Store warehouse into a self-storage facility, Storage Central.
The work now underway at 50 Broadway is adding some curb appeal by installing a cornice to the building.
“We are duplicating the cornice from a very similar building on Genesee Street and re-purposing some old corbels that were salvaged from another demolished building,” says Trettel.
Next, Trettel will turn his attention to the first floor that will be built-out for a new tenant. He is not ready to say who is taking the space but promises “something very fun is coming.”
Trettel says it will build off of the new energy found around the corner on Ellicott Street that has seen Big Ditch Brewing Company and Deep South Taco open last year. Deep South took space in a Trettel-owned building at 291 Ellicott. The two new restaurants join Mohawk Place and Tappo along a two block section of Ellicott Street.
“This place is humming almost every night now,” says Trettel.
There’s more on the way. A new “healthy comfort food” restaurant is taking the ground floor of the Buehl Building where Perks was located. It will be called Jaz & Jacks and the new restaurant is currently hiring its staff.
For 50 Broadway’s upper floors, Trettel is planning to do live/work or loft/office spaces upstairs. Each ‘unit’ will occupy one floor with an open layout and full kitchens and baths.
Further up Broadway, Trettel is part of a development team that is redeveloping three buildings at the southeast corner of Michigan Avenue. Twelve apartments, a jazz-themed restaurant, a space for a cultural group are planned.
Photos by Katy Stuck