The long journey to a new home for Mrs. Goodman's Bakery reached a successful conclusion at the December 11 Architectural Review Board meeting. The Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission granted final approval for the bakery's new building and conditional use permit at 1012 High Street, the site of a former daycare at the corner of Wilson Drive.
Design Revisions Win Over Board
Following feedback from previous meetings, architect Dan Morgan of Behal Sampson Dietz presented a revised design that replaced the previously proposed shed dormers with traditional gable dormers—a change intended to soften the roofline and better integrate the building with the surrounding residential architecture.
A significant focus of the discussion was the masonry. The approved design features extensive brick detailing, including corbels at the roofline—a feature Morgan noted is rarely seen in modern commercial construction.
"In this day and age, buildings don't get built with that type of brick work. So we want to celebrate that," Morgan told the board.
The board responded positively to the changes. "I think the changes you made to the roofline is exceptional," said Board Member David Foust. "I think you responded to our requests last meeting and I think it's a much better design." He particularly noted that the brick detailing "is pretty exceptional for a building like this."
Design Details
The approved building features:
Mixed Materials: A 50-50 blend of two gray brick tones for added texture and depth, Annapolis gray board and batten siding, and dark bronze trim and storefronts.
Slate-Style Roof: A slate-line shingle roof designed to complement the gray brick tones.
Period-Appropriate Elements: Half-round gutters, a bronze pergola, and corbelled brick detailing that echoes historic craftsmanship.
Modest Lighting: Two 12-foot light poles (reduced from the initially proposed 15-foot poles) and four building-mounted fixtures similar to those used at Kilbourne Middle School and the Worthington Inn.
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Debate Over Character and Color
While the structural design found consensus, the color palette remained a point of discussion. The bakery will feature gray bricks rather than the traditional red or orange brick common in historic Worthington.
One citizen, a resident of Wilson Drive, commended the improved dormers but reiterated concerns that the cool gray colors felt out of place, noting that "most of the buildings along the stretch of High Street are constructed with red or orange brick." He emphasized the importance of this location as "a gateway into downtown Worthington."
"To me, the look really is more seemingly appropriate for like a visitor center and a state park," the resident testified.
However, the board ultimately felt the design quality justified the color departure. Board member Damien Healy observed that "the owners, the architects have gone to a lot of effort to really sensitively consider how all the colors work together."
Chair Mikel Coulter acknowledged the divergence from traditional red brick but praised the craftsmanship: "I think that brick detailing is remarkable for a building of that size. You do not see that typically on these buildings anymore. It's hard to do, it's expensive to do, but I think it's gonna help the architecture of the building quite a bit."
Neighborhood-Friendly Operations
The Municipal Planning Commission also approved the conditional use permit required for the bakery to operate in this location. Key operational details include:
- Hours: Open to customers approximately 9 AM to 2 PM (with possible holiday extensions)
- Staffing: Maximum of 10 employees at any one time
- Building Size: Constrained to neighborhood bakery standards
- Parking: More spaces than required under city regulations
Another citizen, also a resident of Wilson Drive asked whether a traffic study had been conducted, staff confirmed none was required. Planning Coordinator Lynda Bitar explained that the bakery's limitations make it a good fit for the site: "This type of business is limited as to how many employees can work at the same time... We felt that this was a particularly good use for this site due to the size limitations and to the hours of use."
Staff emphasized that traffic impacts should be significantly less than the previous daycare use, which saw constant drop-offs and pickups throughout the day.
Site Improvements
The project includes several site improvements:
- Curved sidewalk connection to the High Street sidewalk
- Highway easement dedication to city right-of-way (no change to property use)
- Removal of burning bush at corner to improve sight distance (replaced with non-invasive variety per city arborist recommendation)
- Hedge removal along front for better visibility
The site has already been cleared, with the former building and front hedge removed.
What's Next
With both ARB and MPC approvals secured—and variances previously granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals—construction can proceed. Customer access will be from both the front pedestrian entrance on High Street and a vestibule entrance on the south side, with rear doors serving as service entrances only.
This marks the third and final public review for the project after earlier discussions at the November ARB meeting and the December BZA meeting (see Worthington Pulse Coverage, linked below).
The Architectural Review Board voted 6-0 and the Municipal Planning Commission voted 4-0 to approve the project. Variances for building setback, parking, and rear screening were previously granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals on December 4, 2025.
Previous Coverage:
Mrs. Goodman's Bakery Plans New Building With Community Support and Neighbor Concerns (ARB Meeting - November 24, 2025)
Mrs. Goodman's Bakery Clears Zoning Hurdles for New High Street Home (BZA - December 4, 2025)