This vacant land at the corner of Hickory Street and Tryon Street would be the new home of Mama’s Pizza under the plan unveiled by owner Frank Manis. The existing restaurant, visible on the upper left, would be demolished.
Jan. 13. By Dave Vieser. If all goes as planned, there’ll be a brand new home for the popular Cornelius eatery Mama’s Pizza Express on South Main Street by Labor Day of next year. Owner Frank Manis outlined his plans to the town’s pre development review committee and the initial reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The new building will be at least triple the size of the existing restaurant.
“This is a great project,” said Mayor Pro Tem Woody Washam. “We thank you for investing in our town.”Manis plans to erect a 5,200 square-foot, one-story structure on vacant land behind the current restaurant. Part of the building will be the eatery, and the remainder may be leased to a complementary retailer, such as a bakery. Parking will be in front, with new entrances from Hickory Street. By placing the building behind the current pizzeria, which will be demolished, he will only have to close the restaurant for about 4-5 weeks in the summer of 2018.The only impediment may the town center zoning in the area, which calls for buildings to abut South Main Street, with parking in the rear. However, the members of the committee seemed to feel that the town could make an exception in this case, utilizing the new building as a transition between Fire Station No. 1 just to the south, and future construction further north which would use the town center concept.
Manis, a New York native, said the operation has outgrown the current facility. “The roof needs to be replaced, the restrooms are too small, and we’re literally stumbling over each other in the kitchen,” he said.
In addition to their retail eat-in and takeout business, Mama’s Pizza prepares hundreds of school lunches daily, a fact acknowledged by several members of the committee. “I appreciate your positive response,” Manis said to the committee. “We always try to do the right thing.”
The required rezoning will be scheduled for a public hearing before both the town Planning Board and Board of Commissioners within the next several months.
Manis also operates Mama’s Pizza Express in Huntersville.
