The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3297 might soon be expanding. Delaware Planning Commission approved a proposal for a 1,615-square-foot addition to the 1.349-acre site, located 481 S. Sandusky St. in Delaware, during its Wednesday meeting.

The addition would be constructed on the east side of the existing 3,220-square-foot building. Currently, the east side of the building serves as a parking lot with 45 spaces. The parking lot would be reconfigured to accommodate the new addition, and the number of spaces would drop to 40.

A bingo hall will be the intended use of the new addition, and the two buildings will be entirely separate and not connected by any indoor walkway.

The design of the addition will be similar to that of the existing building, as will its height.

Connie Watson, post commander for VFW Post 3297, said the need for the additional building to serve as the bingo hall stems from their inability to serve alcohol from the bar when bingo is being held inside the main building, per state law. She said only soft drinks can be served during that time, and the plan is to be able to keep the main building running its typical services by keeping bingo nights isolated to the other building.

She noted that, naturally, the dedicated space will also benefit those who do attend bingo night as those events won’t be nearly as cramped now that those patrons won’t be mixed with the members in the main building.

Some commissioners questioned the idea of a reduction in parking spaces as they pointed out the lot is often full for bingo as it is. It was pointed out the 40 spaces are still well above the 13 required spaces per the city’s code. Watson said of the concerns, “We will make the parking efficient.”

The proposal will come before Delaware City Council next week for its first reading.