According to a news report from toledoblade.com, “A Michigan pizza restaurant chain yesterday ended more than seven years of frustration over a single downtown Toledo building.”
“Pizza Papalis Chicago Pizza announced plans to turn the vacant building at 519 Monroe St. near Huron street, next to Fifth Third Field, into its first restaurant outside of Michigan,” said the story. “It’s next to the ball park, and this is where it is happening,” said Joe Sheena, Pizza Papalis president. For years, the building was a sore subject for Lucas County commissioners.”
“The three-story building, which is adjacent to the left-field entrance to Fifth Third Field, was sold to Toledo businessman and weekly newspaper editor Myron Stewart by the commissioners in 2001 – along with an adjacent building at 523 Monroe St. – for just $15,000,” according to the article. “After six years of promises to turn the vacant, 9,700-square-foot building – which previously was a topless bar – into a restaurant, Mr. Stewart put the building up for sale for $360,000 more than he paid Lucas County for it.”