Building plans for an Olive Garden in Â鶹´«Ã½ have been submitted to the city but have yet to be approved.
Zoning plans call for stone and brick veneers for the outside of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Olive Garden. A zoning permit for the restaurant planned for Sterling Street has received city approval.
The city approved the chain restaurant’s zoning plans in October, said Wendy Smith, director of development and design for Â鶹´«Ã½. The zoning approval gives Olive Garden the right to build a restaurant, according to the plans submitted.
The restaurant is planned at the site of the former Fatz Cafe at 2111 S. Sterling St., in Â鶹´«Ã½. The plan is to demolish the Fatz building to build an Olive Garden, city officials said previously.
Â鶹´«Ã½ City Manager Sally Sandy said in October that national chains often find it more financially beneficial to have a building built to the chain’s design.
Smith said in October if a building permit is issued, it would include demolition. No separate demolition permit would be required. The building permit must be approved by city staff, Smith said.
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The Fatz building has been sitting empty since August 2023, when Fatz Cafe closed all of its locations and filed for bankruptcy.
Building plans for the new restaurant were submitted to the city on Nov. 18 and are sealed and pending approval, Smith said. She said there is no date set for when the building plans could be approved or denied.
Jonelle Sigmon, public information officer for the city of Morganton, said the restaurant plans are for the restaurant to be 6,327 square feet and seat approximately 150 people.
The zoning plans call for the outside to have stone and brick veneers, as well as some painted portions, a concrete tiled roof and a metal canopy over the doors.
Olive Garden officials have said the company doesn’t comment on specific plans until a project has received the necessary approvals.
Olive Garden is a part of the Darden Restaurants, which is based in Orlando, Florida.
Olive Garden is known for never-ending soup, salads and breadsticks. Its appetizers include fried calamari, fried mozzarella and toasted ravioli. Entrees include chicken Alfredo, shrimp carbonara and chicken parmigiana.
Olive Garden is a part of Darden Restaurants, which is based in Orlando, Florida. In addition to Olive Garden, the company’s other restaurants are LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s and Bahama Breeze, according to the company.
