how a location’s history

will guide your design.

The Syndicate was built on the grounds of the old Jackson’s News Stand full of rich history and beautiful, thought-out design. 

ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

The Syndicate | Bellefontaine, Ohio

Located in the heart of Downtown Bellefontaine, Ohio, stands The Syndicate. With its flexible, multi-use spaces and big-city-inspired atmosphere, it is perfect for going to eat a fantastic meal, celebrate with friends, enjoy an outdoor concert, or rent for private celebrations and events. With soaring, exposed ceilings, and historically inspired designs, this space will have you feeling like you’re at the center of something exciting… and you will be right about that. 

THE SYNDICATE WEBSITE

Sometimes, when you begin a project, you realize the location’s history will guide your design where it was always meant to go. This was the case when we began designing The Syndicate restaurant in Bellefontaine, Ohio. The original plan for this building was to create a flexible events space with an indoor bar and outdoor beer garden. Through many pivots, we took setbacks and turned them into set-ups for success, and changed the design of the space to become a fine dining restaurant.

historical approach

Constructed on the site of the old Jackson’s News Stand, The Syndicate was built. Although the structure was demolished long ago, our clients wanted to pay homage to the history of the site as a place that was much more than a newsstand. It was a Logan County institution where members of the community would gather to shop and socialize.

implementing history

It was clear to everyone involved that the entire brand needed to be thoughtfully structured around the newsstand theme. The bar is encompassed by a replica iron newsstand with Luxfer prism glass, salvaged from another downtown Bellefontaine building. A vintage-lit “Jackson’s News Stand” sign was incorporated into the back patio design. Museum-quality, original newspaper articles are artfully framed and displayed throughout the restaurant. Custom signage reading “Extra, Extra!” and “The Front Page” add fun to the space and remind guests of the history of the site.

The wall adjacent to the host stand is entirely covered with a custom wallpaper featuring historical news articles originally printed in the Bellefontaine Examiner (the local newspaper). We worked with the owner and the Logan County History Museum to gather as many news articles and advertisements as possible and then selected ones that were either historically significant or visually interesting. We partnered with a local design and print shop to carefully scan each delicate piece, artfully arranged them, and print and install the custom wallpaper.

Access was a huge challenge in this downtown establishment. The clients needed direct access to the kitchen, the rear alley for deliveries and food trucks, the adjacent parking lot for event-goers, and the bar & dining room.  Our designers incorporated an overhead counter door between the bar and patio to provide walk-up window service during events and make sure that delicious food could be enjoyed in the great outdoors.

Our designers went for materials that weren’t precious and would age well — natural wood fencing, colored concrete with a stone paver stamp, and ribbed metal siding. They added touches of vintage and natural elements to create the soul of the space — large, reclaimed lit signs (one of which hung on the building on the same lot decades before), grand potted plants, and a boxwood wall. Incorporating pops of color added to the personality and brand reinforcement, with brightly colored Adirondack chairs and cornhole boards, placed under rows of cafe lights and shade sails hung across a huge, open pergola. The large pergola was sized and designed to fit within a heavy-duty pole tent and includes permanently-installed gas heaters and thoughtfully placed receptacles for power for multi-season use. 

Access was a huge challenge in this downtown establishment. The clients needed direct access to the kitchen, the rear alley for deliveries and food trucks, the adjacent parking lot for event-goers, and the bar & dining room.  Our designers incorporated an overhead counter door between the bar and patio to provide walk-up window service during events and make sure that delicious food could be enjoyed in the great outdoors.

Along with enjoying a drink or a bite out back, there were also many considerations made to create a music venue for events. Stage placement and lighting decisions were thoughtfully made to be considerate of the many close neighboring businesses — to make sure the sound was traveling in the proper direction of the audience. Privacy was built into the perimeter fence for ticketed events while allowing airflow to remain a priority.

An editorial, memorable selfie wall was important for their marketing team, so we incorporated a really cool vintage sign with changeable copy that can be tailored to whatever event is happening on the patio — a concert, private party, or ticketed dining event.

Designing new, with respect to 100 years of history, isn’t a brief that comes up every day – but when it does, it creates truly inspired results. The Syndicate restaurant is a unique and complex dining and event space that simultaneously takes you back in time, and puts you in the present. It is a one-of-a-kind atmosphere to create your own history with good friends and delicious food.