A long-forgotten former Plymouth dealership in Midtown is once again a hub of activity after a $6.5 million renovation into offices, a fabrication shop, bakery and cafe.

That unique mix itself reflects the ongoing efforts of the Pivot Project at bringing old spaces back to life, with past work that includes the Tower Theatre, the former Sunshine Laundry building, the Main Street Arcade, and a collection of retail spaces on NE 23 now home to East Point.

The Pivot Project last year purchased the former Walter E. Allen Plymouth dealership, 301 NW 13, that last housed Able Rents for 30 years. The west service garage half of the building was sold separately six years ago and renovated into offices.

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Once boasting a two-story showroom window with a large parts counter and service garage, the top half of the showroom window was covered with pebble stone concrete panels, and most other windows were covered with blocks.

Jonathan Dodson, CEO of Pivot Project, said he and his partners were able to see beyond the dark, cavernous space at the building that is now named "301."

“That's what made it so exciting, seeing what it could be,” Dodson said. “You walked through it originally, and it just looked like an old warehouse. But you could see if you opened the windows, it could be a beautiful building.”

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Pivot Project began during pandemic

The renovation started in late 2020 and was overseen by Gardner Architects, which previously teamed up with Pivot Project on the Sunshine Laundry building, East Point and Main Street Arcade.

Gone are the pebble stone concrete panels, a change that provides the sweeping rounded glass storefront for the Harvey Bakery and Kitchen being opened by the owners of nearby Hall’s Pizza Kitchen.

Gardner, whose firm does both design and construction, is an equity owner and recently moved his 40-person staff to the building that includes office space and a fabrication shop for his firm.

Windows closed years ago on the NW 13 and Harvey sides of the building also have been reopened, including a row of original casement windows that bring daylight into where Gardner designers work.

Gardner, who along with brother Nathan have worked extensively in metals, designed the building to include a black metallic accent atop the restored two-story showroom window and at the base of the NW 13 façade — a change from the building’s original façade.

“We wanted to honor what was before us, but also showcase what this could be,” Dodson said. “And when people think of the materials we’ve used, they think it is cold and uninviting. I like this idea that we can use these materials and have warmth and visibility.”

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Building's 'three different characters'

Gardner said he was weighing whether to move out of the urban core as he struggled to find space where he could bring the workshop and offices together — operations that had been located at different locations.

Talks started when Gardner learned Pivot Project bought the dealership.

“They were trying to find a use for it,” Gardner said. “It's got three different characters — the showroom with its vault ceilings, street presence and a lot of glass. The garage. And the part that faces Harvey was an old two-story parts warehouse with challenges that included being deeper than normal.”

To make the space work, Gardner added a 6,000-square-foot mezzanine level in the former garage that serves as a meeting space for the firm’s designers, carpenters and welders and doubles as a noise buffer for the offices. The garage’s large doors also will allow the firm to host gatherings.

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Construction started just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, but work didn’t stop. In addition to Gardner Architects and the Pivot Project as owner-tenants, Dodson also had a potential anchor tenant for the retail space with the Hall family.

“Their willingness to jump in, and Jeremy’s reputation and what he’s trying to grow, allowed us to go full steam ahead,” Dodson said. “The Halls had interest from the beginning, but then they got hit by the pandemic and they had to adjust and make sure that Hall’s Pizza Kitchen continued to do good. Once they figured that out, they came back and said ‘We’re interested in doing this.’”

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Molly Hall and sister Elise Hall Taylor opened their pizzeria about five years ago at 1004 N Hudson, another Pivot Project development at what was a tire dealership.

Working with designer Troy Rhodes, the former Plymouth showroom now features a bakery visible to diners at the cafe and a preserved set of curved stairs leading up to “The Library,” a private dining room overlooking the cafe.

“When we looked at this space in 2019, pre-COVID, something we wanted to be was a place to experience, a place to hang out,” Hall said. “But we also want it to be a convenient place, where you can call ahead, order and we bring it out to you.”

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As a result of that initial design and lessons learned during the pandemic, Harvey Bakery and Kitchen includes a pickup window facing Harvey Avenue. Patio seating was added along NW 13 to accommodate a growing desire for outdoor dining.

The bakery, open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. includes a full coffee operation and a menu offering pastries, breakfast, sandwiches, salads and soups. Due to a shipping delay on some equipment and the need to ramp up operations, the bakery is in a “soft opening” mode with a more limited menu.

Hall said her family looked at different spots but kept coming back to 301 NW 13, which is next to Heritage Hills and St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

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“We've had this idea since the first year Hall’s Pizza Kitchen was open,” Hall said. “We thought this would be the next step. Our pastry chef, Alyssa Ulrich, is incredibly talented, young, and was doing some incredible creative things for Hall’s menu. She's always had the dream of opening the bakery, so we get to do it together.”

Dodson said most of the building is leased with the remainder of space taken by a brokerage and other office tenants.  

“It’s fun,” Dodson said. “You have people working with their hands, making beautiful things, you have people drawing cool stuff, and it makes for a great hybrid of different kinds of work.”

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