The Design Review Board on May 16 approved plans to convert Salt into a Little Alley Steakhouse and expand the dining and back-of-house area, subject to conditions on site landscaping and some building details.

Project scope and context: Owner and design team described a roughly 1,900-square-foot dining-room and back-of-house addition, interior remodel and sitework that includes reconfiguring parking access, a new pedestrian connection from Main Street and landscape revisions. The property sits at the corner of Main and Marietta streets, with Publix and adjacent parking to the rear.

Landscaping and site conditions: The board approved landscaping and site changes with conditions: widen the Main Street bulb/landscape island to accommodate a paved pedestrian connection (pavers to match the city sidewalk pattern) linking the Main Street sidewalk across the drive into the building entrance; increase landscaping density at the dumpster enclosure; require replacement of any existing landscaping damaged during construction; provide irrigation for new plantings; and remove the proposed creeping fig from the building wall planting.

Building expansion and elevation conditions: The board also approved the building expansion with conditions that the existing EIFS cornice/profile be used at the top of the new parapet (with a metal cap permitted if needed for water intrusion), that the access ladder be painted to match adjacent wall material and positioned to minimize public view subject to staff approval, and that existing utility meters on the east elevation be relocated to accommodate architectural features.

Why it matters: The project reuses an existing downtown restaurant site and adds dining area and back‑of‑house space; the pedestrian connection and retail-friendly storefront treatments are intended to better connect the site to downtown foot traffic.

Votes and next steps: The landscaping and site plan motion passed 7–0; the building expansion motion also passed 7–0. Staff will work with the applicant on the final pedestrian paving details, irrigation installation and any meter relocations or building-code items during permit review.