The Xenia Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the Gredys to use the property for that purpose. The proposal was approved with the condition that no exterior changes will be made to the house and the permit will expire in three years, after which the planning and zoning commission can revisit the permit, said Xenia City Planner Brian Forschner.
Forschner said this could be a unique asset in Xenia.
Gredy said she hopes to teach individual or small group classes a few days a week in the house. Gredy said the classes will be similar to hosting an in-home tutoring session for math or English or like piano lessons.
“Mentoring was so important to me as a child, my mom was the person who recognized my giftedness. She did a lot to facilitate different things where I could really important training when I was very early on and I hope to do that with children locally, too,” Gredy said.
Gredy said she’d like to teach kids the basics of color and color harmony. She plans to teach drawing and painting, depending on where someone is and what they’d like to learn.
“Not every child is an athlete. Not every child is going to go into medicine, some kids are wired differently, just that God-give desire to re-create the incredible beauty that we observe,” Gredy said. “And we can discover art together.”
A handful of residents spoke at the planning and zoning meeting in opposition to the house being used as a fine art studio. There was also a petition with 30 signatures, according to city documents.
Gredy said she looks forward to getting to know her neighbors and sharing her art with the neighborhood.
She and her family are still doing renovations in the studio part of the house. That is also where she plans to do her personal painting.
Gredy said she hopes to get a group of her painter friends together and paint “en plein air,” or paint outside. She would like to paint iconic Xenia scenes, like the courthouse downtown or some of the old, historic homes in town to help encourage the arts in Xenia.
The second floor of the home is already approved to be an Airbnb and it is currently being advertised as one, Forschner said.
Gredy told the planning and zoning commission she plans to use the Airbnb for up to four guests. It is not being advertised as a whole house on Airbnb.
Gredy and her husband have lived in Xenia since 2005.
Those interested in art classes can reach Gredy through her website, https://www.lindagredyfineart.com.
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