DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- Penzone Salon and Spa is moving forward with constructing a new "live-work" building near its Dublin location to house an art gallery and residence for the company's founder and president.
The beauty company is aiming to build a 2,978-square-foot building named "The Gallery Residence" on its 3.52-acre Dublin campus, the same property that's home to Penzone's salon and spa built in 2018 and its original 1991 location now known as the multipurpose "Penzone Base One" building.
The Gallery Residence will serve as a second home for founder Charles Penzone and his wife, current company President Debra Penzone, along with an art studio and gallery for Charles' abstract paintings.
While the Penzone couple resides in German Village, the two spend the majority of their time at the company's Dublin headquarters to train and mentor the large staff of health and beauty professionals. The residence is intended to remedy the couple's commute, while also offering a space for social gatherings and guests visiting the campus.
"Recently, [the Penzones] were living Downtown, and they were getting tired of the commute, so they wanted to come closer to where they work and where they socialize, which is in Dublin," said Chris Meyers, the proposal's leading architect, during an Oct. 3 Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. "The idea was brought to us, how could we do a residence on this property."
The planning commission voted to recommend approval of the proposal, which will next be reviewed by city council before construction can begin. Once completed, Penzone hopes to foster a walkable headquarters open to the Dublin community.
"This piece of land is so unique and it's an island, it really is Penzone campus," said planning and zoning commissioner Kim Way during the meeting. "So, the idea of introducing buildings that fit into that campus, to me, makes the most sense."
Commission member Gary Alexander chose to abstain from voting, noting that Dublin's code wouldn't allow for this building to be built in this part of Dublin. Alexander also argued that the proposal is a "creative interpretation of what 'live work' is."
"When there's a different owner, this is a house. This is going to become a single-family house. And the code says you can't have single-family residence," said Alexander. "It's plain as day."
The residence continues a series of new buildings and renovations across the company's portfolio. The company constructed its new Dublin salon in 2018, followed by a new Short North location the same year. The Polaris and German Village locations have also undergone remodeling. Penzone opened a New Albany salon in 2022, replacing the area’s former location on Cherry Way.
The company finished the transformation of Base One into a new multipurpose building in April, equipped for corporate gatherings and home to a training salon, co-working spaces for rent, a yoga studio and a café.
