Decatur, GA – A new restaurant is planned for the properties at 240 and 250 E. Trinity Place in downtown Decatur.

Joe May Cleaners, a dry-cleaning business, is currently located at 240 E. Trinity Place, according to Urbanize Atlanta. The business will likely remain as part of the development, but potentially in smaller space.

“While it is certain that I’ll be closing on the 240 building, there is less certainty of including the 250 lot adjacent,” said Michael Wess, a partner at Bull Realty. “It’s going to come down to whether or not restauranteurs wants to operate the proposed lawn space and are willing to pay additional rent that will back into the purchase price that I’m under contract for.”

He plans to list 240 E. Trinity Place for lease by itself with an added patio.

“This layout could be occupied by a single restaurant tenant or have a two-tenant lay-out with Joe May Cleaners remaining in a small space and continuing to operate the drive-thru,” Wess said.

He added that the location is a fantastic corner on a main entrance to downtown Decatur.

“The entrance into the city I used, actually, attending St. Thomas More for middle school,” Wess said.  “Currently, it’s not the prettiest, with the building pulled back from the street and the parking lot in front of the building. I hope to build a street/sidewalk-engaging patio to replace the front parking lot and move the parking to the back.”

The neighboring 250 E. Trinity Place property is currently a grass lot. Wess will only be able to close on that property if the restaurant tenant wants to use the lot and he can underwrite its purchase with the additional rent.

“I’m beginning to market the opportunity for lease this week, but at this juncture it’s impossible to say whether the expanded site plan (240-250 combined) can happen or not,” Wess said. “It would have to be a very high-volume restaurant, drawing people from all over, and therefore would need as much free, dedicated parking as possible.”

The operation of the greenspace will be up to the tenant, but Wess said it could have picnic tables, be a temporary or permanent stage for live music or events, or just be an outdoor space for people to enjoy.

The property offers about 2,000 square feet of structure that will be converted into restaurant space, and about 8,700 square feet of lawn. According to the leasing brochure, there would be two bathrooms inside the restaurant and a shipping container bathroom on the lawn. There could be an oversized shipping container bar addition on the side of the building as well.

Bull Realty will likely close on 240 E. Trinity in June, and hopes to market for lease, find a tenant and sign a lease between May and August. From September to December, they will go through permitting and some initial site work. In 2024, the developer will close on 250 E. Trinity, complete some construction and open for business. The parking lot would have 29 spaces.

Wess said the combined properties will not require rezoning from the city of Decatur but will require some variances.

A look at the location of 240 and 250 E. Trinity Place in downtown Decatur. The properties will become a new restaurant development. Photo courtesy of Bull Realty.