Jeff Young, who owns the former Franklin Junior High School, hopes to open a restaurant and bar at the facility by next spring.

To do that, he said, work on putting in footings, underground plumping and other in-ground work will need to begin by fall. Once that is done, construction can begin on the buildings planned in the area outside the restaurant, he said.

The Des Moines City Council this week approved the first reading of a request to rezone the 12 acres at 4801 Franklin Ave. from a limited neighborhood retail commercial district to a planned unit development, or PUD. Two more readings of the ordinance are required.

If the council approves the final two readings, Young still must get approval for the site plan for the project.

“I’d like to get the restaurant, Franklin Garden and bar open by spring so we can be open the full summer and fall of next year,” said Young, who plans on converting the former school and church into an event center and hotel.

Young also has a contract with Hubbell Realty Co. to buy the former Mercy Franklin Clinic just south of the school. 

The Franklin school project, valued at $8 million, is expected to include a 30-room boutique hotel, micro-brewery, restaurant, bar, theater and five auditoriums with seating for between 100 and 4,000 people. 

Young said if he is to meet his goal of a spring opening for the restaurant, construction of outdoor buildings will need to begin before winter. One building would be for restrooms; the other would be a gathering area for about 30 people. 

“The restaurant and Franklin Garden go hand-in-hand,” he said. “I need both to open at the same time.”

Young originally planned for the outdoor space to be a patio that would have been open late into the evening. Concerns raised about noise levels prompted him to revise the plans and increase screening around the area.

Franklin Garden, which will close daily at 10 p.m., will  include swings and teeter-totters, green space and a fireplace.