Scott Wartman

swartman@nky.com

COVINGTON - The historic Bavarian Brewery in Covington appears safe for now.

If Columbia Sussex wants to demolish the 100-year-old brewery building in Covington, they will have to appeal to the Covington City Commission.

The Covington Urban Design Review Board on Monday unanimously rejected the company's request to tear the brewery down.

The brewery's owner vowed to work with historic preservation specialists to find a use for the building.

Several dozen people came to Covington City Hall Monday to urge the city spare the large brewery along Interstate 75. Some of them braved the cold as they picketed.

"It's a gorgeous building," said Elizabeth Winstel of Fort Wright, while holding a sign saying "Honk for History."

"Every time you drive by it, you wonder what's in it. We've destroyed too many historical buildings. Just because it's inconvenient doesn't mean you should tear it down."

The building dates from the 19th century and was home to the Bavarian Brewing Co. until the 1960s. It most recently housed the restaurant and nightclub Jillian's until it closed in 2006. Columbia Sussex bought the building in 2008.

A series of people wanting to save the building, including a guy known as "Beer Dave," gave impassioned pleas before the review board to save the building.

"I know Columbia Sussex took a calculated risk when they bought the building, and unfortunately it was an investment that did not pan out for them," said Covington resident Sue Puffenberger. "I don't think residents of Northern Kentucky should pay the penalty for that."

City officials sided with them over the casino operator and recommended the board reject the application of Columbia Sussex to tear the building down.

The building is on the National Historic Register and is in a historic district, requiring city approval for any significant changes or demolition.

Columbia Sussex, a hotel and casino operator, bought the building in 2008 but has been unable to find a buyer.

"A wide variety of people have ideas about what uses could be put to this building so it didn't have to be demolished," said Columbia Sussex attorney Scott Thomas, "That's all well and good. Columbia Sussex has been vigorously and aggressively trying to market this property with the building intact since it took ownership in 2008. Despite those efforts, they've been unsuccessful."

Many of the several dozen supporters for the brewery building, however, believed the building owner's asking price of $7 million is too much money for the property and accused Columbia Sussex of greed.

"The reason they can't sell the property is that the price is too high," said Doug Newberry, a Cincinnati resident who has organized a series of protests against possible demolition of the building. "They're asking too much money."

Thomas, with Columbia Sussex, objected to that characterization and said Columbia Sussex wants to recoup its investment. He defended Columbia Sussex founder Bill Yung by describing how Yung built Columbia Sussex from the ground up. He turned a failing hotel around 40 years ago by pouring all his money into it, Thomas said. Now Columbia Sussex lists 35 hotels under its control across the country.

"He has built it the American way," Thomas said. "While there's been talk about greed, which I resent, there's no greed issue here."

Columbia Sussex has offered to work with city officials, historic preservation groups and development agencies to develop ideas for the building. They had asked the urban review board to approve demolition on the condition they work with these groups over the next six months. The board rejected that.

Columbia Sussex hasn't determined whether to appeal to the Covington City Commission, Thomas said. They still plan on working with preservation officers and the city to find ways to market and develop the property, Thomas said.

"I still hold some optimism our clients approach to work out a business solution with the preservation groups in the Cincinnati area will be successful," Thomas said. "We're going to burn the candle at every end we can find."