EDGEWATER — After more than a decade of vacancy, the old Carson's Ribs building on Ridge Avenue between Clark and Peterson could see new life as a Starbucks cafe and drive-through.
Crossroads Partners LLC, the developer behind the neighboring Walgreens and L.A. Fitness on North Broadway, applied recently for a special use permit to redevelop the 5970 N. Ridge Ave. property into a location for the popular coffee house franchise, the 40th Ward office said Wednesday.
The 22,000-square-foot building would likely be demolished and rebuilt, city officials said.
Neither Crossroads Partners owner Michael Nortman nor his attorney could be reached for more details.
Carson's closed on the busy commuter stretch in 2005 and was bought the same year for $2.15 million by Vranas and Chioros Realty Group.
Though Vranas and Chioros had originally hoped to develop it, in 2014 the realty group auctioned off the property and ultimately sold it to Crossroads for $1.15 million.
Nortman earlier told DNAinfo he hoped to take advantage of the 38,000 vehicles who pass by the property daily, as well as its proximity to current and proposed train and bus routes.
In 2015, he suggested the "eyesore" spot could become a strip mall.