A new coffee shop planned for a former funeral home at Hamburg and South Park may be another sign of spillover from the Larkinville developments and local economic improvement.
A group of neighborhood residents were recently in front of the city's Zoning Board of Appeals to use their parking lot to renovate and open Undergrounds at the corner. The site is just up Hamburg street from a string of old industrial buildings being turned into housing.
"We're one of the few neighborhoods in the city that doesn't really have a business district of any kind so it would be nice to bring that back," said co-owner Sara Heidinger.
Heidinger says some owners have held on in bad years and a new coffee shop would help. Heidinger says there are plenty of residents, many in her own family.
"My dad is one of eight and most of our family and older kids still live down there. So, my immediate family has about 40 people in walking distance," he said.
Heidinger and her partners hope to have Undergrounds open early next year, with the Zoning Board allowing them to use their parking lot, despite its residential zoning.
