Panera Bread has received the go-ahead to begin construction of a future bakery-café at the 1700 block of Ehringhaus Street.

Tyler Construction on Jan. 29 received a permit to construct a slightly more than 4,000 square-foot building, City Manager Rich Olson said in a recent FYI to the City Council. When completed, the restaurant will have seating for 92 customers inside and 36 customers outside, Olson said.

Tentative plans call for the business to open by late April or early May, Cori Lintner, Panera’s marketing manager in Virginia, said last year when Panera announced its new location in Elizabeth City. Lintner said the business will employ about 50 workers.

The new Panera Bread location will be in a busy part of Elizabeth City, next to the Chick-fil-A restaurant close to the Walgreens pharmacy and across the street from the Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Panera, which is based in St. Louis, owns and franchises 1,591 bakery-cafes under the names Panera Bread, St. Louis Bread Co., and Paradise Bakery & Café.