Development planned between Silvertron Cafe, Naked Art Gallery

For Matt Boehm, his family’s upcoming Forest Park Place development represents both a “return to form and a break in model.”

The 4,000-square-foot commercial building will be Boehm Realty’s first new construction project, but it is far from the company’s first foray in the area. Matt’s father and CEO of Boehm Realty, Chris Boehm, got his start in Forest Park 25 years ago with Silvertron Café, the first development for his new company.

“We’re trying to come back to where it all began, but also bring something new and fresh to the area,” Matt Boehm said. 

The project has been a long time coming for the Boehms, who came up with a plan for a Forest Park commercial development four years ago. 

The idea was tabled after a slew of unexpected vacancies in the Forest Park village, but the Boehms never gave up on the idea. Now that the area is buzzing again with the completion of the new Park 35 on Clairmont apartment building, Matt Boehm said the timing couldn’t be better.

Forest Park Place will house up to four commercial bays, each with about 1,000 square feet. It will be between Silvertron Cafe and Naked Art Gallery. 

A house occupies the space now, but the Boehms plan to demolish it in order to build the commercial space, plus a 10-car parking lot behind the building. 

They also plan to push back the sidewalk in front of Silvertron to allow for eight additional parking spots. 

In accordance with the Forest Park neighborhood design review committee, the new building’s façade will imitate the historic feel of Silvertron and Little Savannah. 

Matt Boehm said, ideally, Forest Park Place would house restaurants, retail spaces and offices. They are working to finalize a contract with construction companies to build the shell of the building and finish the façade.

Matt Boehm said he hopes this will help future tenants see the potential for the development. Though, for the Boehms, Forest Park’s potential comes as no surprise. 

“Forest Park has been where we’ve lived and grown up our entire lives,” Matt Boehm said. “We’ve always concentrated a lot of our property ownership in the area. It’s been a home and business headquarters to us.”