Abandoned Emory Village Gas Station to Become Wine Store

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Credit: J. Ryan Duffey Architect, Inc.

A long-empty gas station in Emory Village may soon be brought back to life as a wine store and restaurant.

The DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability issued a certificate of appropriateness for the proposed conversion of the Chevron at 1574 North Decatur Road into a new retail space during its July 20 meeting, according to Decatur Metro.

Doug Bryant, President of Sherlock’s Wine Merchant, wrote the certificate application document that architects were working to “take the building back to a more historic facade” and make it blend in more with the Emory community surrounding it. The structure was originally built around 1951, Bryant estimates.

The application states the initial goal of the development is to get the 2,000 sq. ft. wine store approved and built, but adds that “it is essential to the applicant that the property meet all necessary to permit a restaurant use as a future tenant.”

In order to proceed with the project, the developers will appear before the DeKalb Zoning Board of Appeals on Aug. 12 to request several variances needed due to the irregular shape of the lot. The variances sought are:

• A special exception to reduce the required number of off street parking spaces for an approximately 2000 SF restaurant use from 16 spaces to 11 spaces. This would waive Sec. 27-728.11.14 for food service use requiring 8 spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area to 5.5 spaces per 1000 square feet.
• A waiver to allow the use of small car “compact” spaces despite the total number of off-street parking being less than 20 spaces pursuant to Sec. 27-766 (b)(3).
• A waiver to allow parking in front of the building pursuant to Sec.27-728.11.4.(g)(6) and pursuant to the Emory Village Design Standard Guidelines Sec. II.B.2. d. A waiver to reduce the minimum one way drive aisle for a private alley from 12 ft to 10 ft per Sec. 14- 195(b)(1). e. A waiver to eliminate the required 10 ft planting strip between off street parking and the public sidewalk pursuant to Sec. 27-766(4).
• A waiver to eliminate the 5 ft wide landscaping buffer area between the parking lot and the build to line pursuant to the Emory Village Design Standard Guidelines Sec. II.B.2.

The full certificate of appropriateness application packet can be reviewed below.