Hello Worthington! Here's your recap of what happened at March 12's Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. Below are summaries of the commercial and institutional projects that directly impact our community.
Wolf's Ridge at the Worthington Inn Wins Sign and Use Approvals
The Worthington Inn at 649 High Street is one step closer to reopening as a Wolf's Ridge restaurant and pub. On March 12, the Architectural Review Board and the Municipal Planning Commission signed off on the project's two outstanding pieces: a new ground sign with outdoor patio seating, and a conditional use permit covering the restaurant's hours and operations. Applicant Bob Szuter told the joint meeting that the team is targeting a mid-to-late April opening.
A new sign for an old landmark
The historic ground sign at the corner of the Worthington Inn property is staying put. The panels and pole, though, will change. Planning Coordinator Lynda Bitar walked board members through the proposal: the existing freestanding sign sits in the city right of way, so the service director will also need to approve any changes alongside the board.
The redesigned panels would carry the Wolf's Ridge wolf logo, an encircling wreath of flowers, and the words "At Worthington Inn," "Restaurant and Pub," and "Established 2026." The city's sign code allows two fonts and three text sizes total, and the wolf logo itself counts as a size.
Bitar said the design "should complement the building" under the city's design guidelines, and pointed out that the proposed black side bars and pole would not pick up the building's blue trim or burgundy. Szuter said the team would adjust the panel side colors if the city preferred and could match the text sizes.
After discussion, the board landed on a compromise: shrink "At Worthington Inn" so all three text phrases inside the wreath are the same size. That keeps the wolf logo as one size and the cleaner sans-serif text as the second, within the code's three-size limit. The applicant agreed.
On the color question, the board left the side bars and pole black. One member noted that the awning around the corner is already black, providing visual precedent.
The chair raised a sentimental note about the existing Worthington Inn sign that the new panels will replace. He suggested that if the old sign comes down in one piece, "there's probably either people that would love to have that, or if you could hang it inside the restaurant, they'd get a lot of love". Auctioning it for charity or hanging it in the basement bar were also floated as options.
Members voted 5-0 to approve the sign and outdoor seating application (ARB 11-2026), with the lettering modification.
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Outdoor seating on the front patio
The plan calls for two round patio tables in the side patio area and additional seating across the porch and front patio. Szuter clarified during the meeting that the team plans to keep the existing shrubbery and fence rather than removing them, at least for now. He said the team is "not going to do" a previously sketched bench, opting for additional tables instead.
Edwin Hofmann encouraged removing the front shrubs to make room for more seating, calling them "unkept for years" and noting that "a little love would help". Szuter said the team had landed on a compromise that preserves more of the existing landscaping while still adding outdoor capacity, and said updated plans could be submitted later if the seating layout shifts.
The chair said the approval would not force the bushes to be torn out immediately; the applicant can revisit landscaping decisions on their own timeline.
A conditional use permit for the restaurant
The Municipal Planning Commission then took up the conditional use permit (CU 02-2026), which formally allows the restaurant operation at the historic property.
Bitar reviewed the operational details:
- Staffing: Up to about 20 employees on the maximum shift.
- Layout: The first floor will house the main restaurant. A side entrance leads to a smaller basement lounge.
- Main restaurant hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
- Lounge hours: Evenings only, during the same days.
Bitar told members that staff did not anticipate the new use changing parking or neighborhood conditions because the building has operated as a restaurant for many years. The conditional use permit passed 4-0.
What's next
Szuter said the team is "pretty confident" about a mid-to-late April opening. The chair indicated city staff will work with the applicant on a separate special use permit needed for the sign change in the right of way.
The Worthington Inn has been preparing for new operators after the Showe family ran the property for decades. With sign and conditional use approvals in hand, the interior buildout and final exterior touches are what remain before the doors reopen.
Upcoming Dates
- Wednesday, May 13 — Worthington Together public meeting #3, at the Community Center North Gym.
- Monday, July 6 — Joint work session of City Council, the Municipal Planning Commission, and the Architectural Review Board on the comprehensive plan.
Thanks for reading this summary of the Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. You can watch the original full video here
Note: This recap focuses on commercial and institutional projects that affect the broader community. Individual homeowner applications, while important to those involved, are not included in this community newsletter.