Image courtesy of Brian Zarthar

Medford officials have approved plans to redevelop a Mystic Avenue property as a 656-seat beer hall and restaurant, in a project led by the same entrepreneur who is planning the city’s first cannabis cultivation facility on a neighboring parcel.

The Great American Beer Hall will include a 20,000-square-foot ground-floor bar and restaurant, a 2,025-square-foot mezzanine and 2,627-square-foot roof deck.

The project is led by Brian Zarthar of Milton, who is real estate manager for the owners of the 2-acre property at 142 Mystic Ave. currently occupied by two auto repair shops and a school bus storage yard.

No on-site brewing is planned, but the designs are inspired by a brewery atmosphere and intended to accommodate private events such as weddings, corporate outings and trade shows as well as restaurant use, Zarthar said. A seasonal outdoor beer garden would occupy another 4,400 square feet with seating capacity for 279 patrons, in addition to the 377 interior seats.

Medford’s Community Development Board approved a site plan for the project Wednesday following a three-hour public hearing. The project also requires approval of all-alcohol and entertainment licenses from the city of Medford, Zarthar said.

The project could be a precursor to a series of redevelopments of the Mystic Avenue corridor, currently occupied by low-rise industrial and retail buildings and parking lots.

Malden-based Combined Properties has presented preliminary plans for a four-building, 1.2 million-square-foot life science complex at 278-326 Mystic Ave.

Medford’s draft comprehensive plan, released in August, recommends rezoning Mystic Avenue to reflect the changing real estate demand in recent decades.

Zarthar’s family has owned the Mystic Avenue properties for decades. In July, Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn signed a host city agreement with Zarthar, who is also CEO of Mystic Cultivate, for the city’s first cannabis cultivation facility at 134 Mystic Ave.