Click on the screen image to see what Zora, a new bar-restaurant under construction at 2120 Ingersoll Ave., will look like in the evening. Below is a rendering of the two-story structure.Watch videoArchitectural rendering by Simonson & Associates

Ed Allen began planning for a new bar and restaurant along Des Moines Ingersoll Avenue last March just as the coronavirus began rapidly spreading across the country.

The pandemic, though, didnt derail Allens plans.

It actually motivated me, if anything, said Allen, a lifelong Des Moines resident and Roosevelt High School graduate. Zora, an establishment that will be located at 2120 Ingersoll Ave., is expected to open in March 2021 at the very beginning stages of people going back out.

"We want to be part of the resurgence.

Work has begun at the site including installation of footings and construction of a new retaining wall. Metal framing is expected to arrive early next week when workers will begin putting up the buildings shell. When completed, the two-story, 6,000-square-foot structure will include a rooftop patio that will be lit in the evening.

Allen said he did numerous studies to determine whether the property, which previously was home to Flanigans bar, was a good location for a bar and restaurant.

We measured rooftops, we did traffic counts, he said. It appeared to be a property that had all the elements for that type of industry to succeed.

Earlier this year, the city of Des Moines began a three-year project to beautify and repair a one-mile stretch of Ingersoll Avenue, between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and 31st Street. The $17 million project includes the reconstruction of the roadway, new storm sewers, the burying of overhead utilities, widened sidewalks, upgraded bus stops, new pedestrian crossings, elevated bike lanes and landscaping.

Allen said the citys investment in the area prompted him to make an investment as well. If the city hadnt made the streetscape improvements, I probably would not be doing this project, he said.

Zora will have a full-service kitchen with an emphasis on serving American-style foods such hamburgers.

Its not fine dining, Allen said. Were a bar-restaurant, not a restaurant-bar.

During the noon hour during the workweek, Zora is expected to cater to area workers, including those downtown. In the evenings, it will likely draw 20- to 30-year-olds, Allen said.

We expect the after 10 p.m. crowd will mostly be a lot of 20-somethings, he said.

Here is the original post:
Construction begins on Zora, new bar-restaurant slated to open next spring on Ingersoll Avenue - Business Record

MUSKEGON, MI -- A ground breaking was recently held for the six-story mixed-use building, The Leonard, after construction was delayed earlier this year.

The Leonard is being constructed at the corner of Western Avenue and Second Street. Construction on the 51,565-square-foot building initially was expected to begin in fall 2018, and was postponed once to May 2019 and again to March 2020.

This is a $9.2 million project, according Cory Leonard, owner of Sweetwater Development, which broke ground Nov. 9.

The project includes retail space, residential apartments and office space.

Dave Alexander, business development manager for Muskegons Downtown Development Authority, was not surprised at the projects timeline.

Ive been watching the evolution of the project over time and buildings this big in towns like Muskegon take this kind of time to come into fruition so that is not surprising, said Alexander.

According to Leonard, who the building is named after, projects like this always takes longer than what people think." Now that construction has begun, he said the building has a November 2021 opening date.

The most recent cause of construction delays are due to funding challenges related to COVID-19. Leonard said Chemical Bank elected to postpone all funding for similar developments. However, Leonard didnt want to wait.

There was never any issue with funding other than COVID hitting and the original bank said that they wanted to postpone closing for six months, he said.

In order to get the project off the ground without further delay, Leonard chose to move forward with funding from Honor Credit Union of Berrien Springs in March.

In December 2019, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $1.5 million incentive to assist Sweetwater Development Partners, LLC in constructing the building. The development will be in a vacant area of the former Muskegon Mall.

According to Alexander, the site one of the final pieces of vacant property left to be developed since the malls 2003 demolition.

The building is set to include one floor of commercial spaces, two floors of offices and three floors dedicated to 18 apartments. The first floor will include a combination of 600-square-foot shops retail shops and restaurants, with the possibility of a credit union, Leonard told MLive.

BigSigns.com, Leonards events graphics company out of Grand Haven, will occupy space on the third floor. Developers are actively searching for a take-out restaurant as well. Leonard said the developers are also taking some of the parking on the east side of the building on Second Street where they will add an outdoor patio.

(It) will really give a nice visual appeal to that corner kind of give it real curb appeal and activity, said Leonard. I think it will add a lot to the downtown area, to the vibe.

According to the developer, the demand is very high for apartments, with over 150 people having expressed interest, however they have not begun the application process. Leonard is hopeful the apartments will be ready for move in before November 2021.

Leonard, who is from Muskegon, has said he plans to also add a second building in the area, with condos instead of apartments. He has the option to develop the rest of the block, between First and Second streets.

A graduate of Reeths-Puffer High School, Leonard operates an events graphics company, BigSigns.com, out of Grand Haven. He previously developed 605 W. Western Ave., the site of Muskegon Radiology.

More on MLive:

Michigan lists 260 new coronavirus outbreaks and 723 ongoing clusters in Nov. 16 report

U.S. 31 ramp, lane closures planned near Muskegon this week

Michigans hunting license system back online after issues emerged before opening day

More here:
Construction finally underway on mixed-use building in downtown Muskegon - MLive.com

The new Yuengling Campus has officially broken ground on the 43-acre property, at 11111 N. 30th near Busch Gardens.COURTESY

In October of last year, Yuengling announced plans to launch its very own elaborate mixed-use campus including ahotel in Tampa. Construction on the 43-acre property, at 11111 N. 30th near Busch Gardens, was scheduled to begin in May 2020, but instead, the project ceremonially broke ground today Monday, Nov. 16.

And according toTampa Bay Business Journal, plans to add a hotel to the property are on hold and a part of the "project's second phase, set to begin construction after the first phase wraps up in early 2022."

Slated to open in early 2022, the Yuengling campus is set to host a state-of-the-art pilot brewing system, a restaurant, private dining, conference rooms, an outdoor recreation center, coffee bar, gift shop, a beer garden, as well as multi-use concert and entertainment pavilion. There will also be a digital interactive history, artifacts, and advertising memorabilia from Yuenglings 191-year history as an American Owned and Family Operated Brewery.

Since purchasing the brewery in Tampa in 1999, we have been proud to be a member of the Greater Tampa Bay community, said Wendy Yuengling, Chief Administrative Officer and 6th generation family member, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. in a release. "[..]We consider Florida our second home, and we are excited to invest further in the Tampa community by offering Floridians and tourists an immersive experience into our brands, how our beers are made, and our rich history as Americas Oldest Brewery.

To lead the new Yuengling Tampa campus, Yuengling has tapped seasoned food and beverage veteran, Brent Wertza graduate of the Culinary Institute of American with three decades of experienceas the new Vice President of Hospitality.

I am honored to lead the new Yuengling Tampa Campus, said Wertz in a statement. I look forward to leveraging my 30 years of hospitality experience to build a world-class destination for Americas Oldest Brewery here in Tampa, by bridging the local Tampa culture with the unparalleled history of Yuengling.

Whether you want to book a staycation at the beer-themed hotel, or just want to slide by for a bite, the new Yuengling campus could have something for locals and tourists alike. More details to come as construction continues. No word on whether staff will belong to a worker's union though.

COURTESY

COURTESY

COURTESY

COURTESY

The forthcoming concept hosts an outdoor space complete with a beer garden.COURTESY

Support local journalism in these crazy days. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you up to the minute news on how Coronavirus is affecting Tampa and surrounding areas. Please considermaking a one time or monthly donationto help support our staff. Every little bit helps.

Want to know everything going on with Tampa Bay's food and drink scene? Sign up for ourBitesnewsletter.

Go here to read the rest:
Tampa's new Yuengling-themed hotel is on hold, but construction of the new campus started today - Creative Loafing Tampa

Work on a massive $25 million development at the corner of Third Avenue and Broadway, "The Rune," is drawing to a close for the year.

This week cranes are installing sheet piles at the site to provide temporary support for excavation, according to Ted Thompson, senior project manager for CI Construction in Alexandria thats in charge of the work.

Once that is completed, there wont be much activity until spring, Thompson said.

This building has an extensive amount of elevated, poured-in-place concrete floors that are much more efficient to put in place when the weather is above freezing, he said.

The developer is GoodNeighbor Properties LLC.

This past summer, vacant buildings that last housed Bello Cucina restaurant and Blue Collar Bobs were demolished to make room for the development.

The new five-story complex will consist of commercial and retail space, including a new restaurant Mill Valley Kitchen, which is scheduled to open in 2022. The owners also have a Mill Valley Kitchen in St. Louis Park, a Mill Valley Market in Minneapolis and two Benedicts restaurants in Wayzata and Rochester. According to its website, the restaurant will feature locally sourced meats, produce and seafood.

Some of the menu items listed on the website: shrimp and octopus ceviche, grilled chicken wings, ratatouille, Korean BBQ rice bowl, five-spice pork tenderloin, herb-roasted chicken breast and miso glazed sea bass. The restaurant also serves flatbreads, salads, burgers and other items.

The Rune will also include 72 market-rate apartments, ranging from studios to one- and two-bedroom units.

Four stories will be above ground on the Broadway side and three stories above ground on the Hawthorne Street side. The first floor, which will be at ground level on Broadway and have underground parking on the Hawthorne side, will be the commercial level.

There will be another underground parking level below this with 153 stalls.

Visit link:
Work wraps up on The Rune for now - Echo Press

Already a popular neighborhood fixture, Carmines Pizza Kitchen will expand next year into a built-from-scratch, mixed-use park in Henderson, scheduled to become the future headquarters for the Las Vegas Raiderettes.

Reported by CREConfidential, Carmine Ventos namesake restaurant is headed to the under-construction Matter Park, filling 3,266 square feet with red-and-white checkered tablecloths and mural tributes to Ventos East Coast origins.

Current leasing documents suggest the Pizza Kitchen will take over a corner space at the intersection of Raiders Way and the Sunridge Heights Parkway.

Aiming for a summer 2021 launch, the restaurant will import its menu of pizza, sandwiches, pastas, and salads, and add an outdoor seating area connected by a roll up garage door to the main dining room.

The enormous 26-acre business park will host the Las Vegas Raiderettes, offices, manufacturing companies, light industry, and warehouses, plus plenty of unleased spaces available for potential dining tenants, all a short distance from the Las Vegas Raiders training facility.

Still operating in Rhodes Ranch and two Henderson locations, last year Carmines presented paperwork to the City of Henderson to construct a new 4,980-square-foot restaurant at the intersection of Narissa Avenue and Horizon Ridge Parkway. Yet to be built, no further updates on the proposal were publicly revealed.

Carmines Pizza Kitchen Has Big Plans For New Henderson Home [ELV]

All Coverage of Henderson [ELV]

Sign up for our newsletter.

See the original post:
Carmines Pizza Kitchen to join the Raiderettes in west Henderson - Eater Vegas

Alex Gary| Special to the Register Star

MACHESNEY PARK A massive expansion at Pig Minds Brewing Co. is finally complete after six years of twists and turns, and owner Brian Endl still will have to wait several weeks to fully show it off to the public.

The 9,000-square-foot expansion tripled Pig Minds original layout at 4080 Steele Drive.The added space features a wood-fired pizza oven, expanded bar area, 170 additional seats inside, an outdoor patio that seats 150 and a mezzanine on the second floor for private parties. The renovation also includes a 15-barrel exposed brewhouse that triples its brewing capabilities.

We actually started working on this in 2015, but then our property was classified as being in a flood zone, Endl said. It took us 2 years of fighting to get out of the flood zone. We started construction last October. Some of the work was delayed in March and April and we wrapped up construction in September.

Endl said they poured the first beer out of the brewhouse in early November.

Of course, they wrapped up final details just in time for Gov. JBPritzkers order at the end of October banning indoor dining because of the massive increase in new coronavirus cases across the state and country. On Friday, there were a record 187,907 new cases in the U.S., 15,415 of those coming from Illinois.

Its been one thing after another, Endl said. Obviously, we took a big hit in mid-March to the end of May. We actually did pretty well throughout the summer. Even with the restrictions, the months we were partially open, we were beating our sales from 2019.

The expansion will help weather this new storm. Endl said customers have been asking him for years to add pizza to the menu and he read that pizza sales at companies such as Papa Johns have been setting records throughout 2020 because so many other options have gone away.

The additional brewing capacity includes a canning line, which should raise Pig Minds sales in the Chicago market. Until the expansion, Pig Minds had a limited bottling line and mostly sold kegs to Chicago-area bars.

At its peak, Pig Minds has had a staff of as many as 35. After COVID, Endl said hell need to boost that by another 10 to handle the additional customers and brewing demand. But they do have to get through this additional shutdown. The expansion, which was supposed to cost $1.2 million in 2016, ended up costing $2.1 million in 2020. Of the 30 employees he had at the start of the year, they are still trying to scrounge up hours for about 20.

Weve lost a lot of good people because they had to get other jobs, Endl said. Even if we could open up next week, wed have to ease into it. We have to get our staff back acclimated.

Endl said hes well positioned to ride this latest wave out as long as it doesnt last six months. Still, the additional space was necessary. When Endl opened Pig Minds in 2012, it was the areas second microbrew and first fully vegan restaurant. Since, the microbrew competition has continued to grow and more restaurants are adding vegan options.

My wife and I have been vegan since 1992. I know that vegan restaurants and breweries are destinations. Vegans will search for restaurants they can visit in different cities, Endl said.

That was my vision. Initially, the food side struggled because we were vegan. People would ask for at least a limited carnivore menu, Endl added. According to a study by Ipsos Retail Performance, between 2004 and 2019, the number of people in the U.S. who have adopted a fully vegan diet grew from 290,000 people to more than 9.7 million. The last couple of years, on weekends, we were having one- and two-hour waits for tables. Weve had success with the formula and now you see others adding vegan menus.

Alex Gary is a freelance correspondent

See more here:
Pig Minds owner hopes good things come to those who wait - Rockford Register Star

Early morning scenes at Cloverdale Farms County Park, a former cranbury farm in Barnegat Township, NJ. Asbury Park Press

BARNEGAT - Jersey Mike's Subs opens today at Barnegat 67, one of the township's newest shopping centers.

"It'sa really great community, with good quality people that we want to be around," said Matt Catania, who, along with partner John Helm ownsand operates28Jersey Mike's locations.

Jersey Mike's is the latest retailer to open at Barnegat 67,a retail and residential complex by New York developerExtell Development Co. located just off the Garden State Parkway's Exit 67A. Taco Bell, now under construction, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2021.

What's Going There: Dollar General, AutoZone among retailers coming to new Barnegat center

Other retailers and restaurantsalready there include Dollar Tree, Dunkin', Planet Fitness, Mamma Rosa and Pan Asia.

The trusted place to find the best home service providers. Find local pros.

"It was kind of the perfect opportunity, between the community and the brand new center with the Parkway access, kind of a no brainer," Catania said.

Jersey Mike's Subs opens at Barnegat 67 in Barnegat.(Photo: Sarah Griesemer)

What else?:Age-restricted condos, affordable homes, to be built near Barnegat 67

The restaurant's hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant is only serving orders for in-store pick up or third-party delivery. The indoor dining areas at its restaurants are "temporarily closed" to help limit person-to-person contact, Jersey Mike's said.

Barnegat is seeing a burstof new retail construction.

A shopping center, Exit 67 Town Center, is under construction at the corner of Sandpiper Road and West Bay Avenue. Dollar General and AutoZone are on the way there. Domino's and Mattress Warehouse are also listed as tenants, according to marketing materials.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Jersey Mike's:From tiny Ocean County sub shop to the big leagues

"That area is growing so fast," said Ketan Shah, chief executive officer of Pyramid Service Management LLC, a Taco Bell franchisee."There's a lot of construction and other stuff going on."

Shah said good weather has put construction of his Taco Bell restaurant at Barnegat 67ahead of schedule.

Taco Bell is under construction at Barnegat 67 in Barnegat.(Photo: Sarah Griesemer)

Al fresco dining:Colder temps, outdoor heater codes create new worries for ailing NJ restaurant industry

"With the weather and the amount of work that these guys are putting in, he's ahead of schedule, at least a couple of weeks ahead, so that is wonderful," Shah said.

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for more than 20 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There and Press on Your Side columns and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

Read or Share this story: https://www.app.com/story/money/business/main-street/whats-going-there/2020/11/11/jersey-mikes-subs-barnegat-67-taco-bell/6220153002/

More:
Jersey Mike's opens in Barnegat, Taco Bell on the way - Asbury Park Press

Another week, another dismal statistic: We are in a worse place today than we were back in April. So prepare for a COVID-19 edition of the Hill Buzz.

Yesterday, the Mayor held a status update, where she shared the latest statistics and concerns on the coronavirus in our region. You can see the official statistics by clicking here. The most worrisome of these statistics is the ones boxed in red, where you can see that there is an average of almost 20 new cases of coronavirus per day, and the rate of transmission above 1.0 a rapid spread (visit RTlive for more info).

As a reminder, phase two hinged on the R number being below 1.0 a metric later changed to 1.2, as Allison Hrabar pointed out today on Twitter.

Incidentally, if you havent read Allisons excellent discussion of how the District has, in essence, changed the goal posts of whats acceptable in terms of community transmission, do it (The Drift). Its not an enviable position for the District government to be caught between an economic and a public health crisis, but this also feels less than transparent:

The ideal transmission rate of less than one suddenly became less than 1.2, the cap for hospital occupancy was raised from 80 percent to 90 percent, and the number of people with positive test results that had to be called by contact tracers within a day was lowered from 90 percent to 80 percent.

What has the coronavirus done to us? Well, the luxury rental market has all but stalled (Washington Post) and many people have left the area altogether, to be closer to family or to be away from the dread of being around people, while some have happily moved in (DCist). Washingtonian has more tales of people moving out here and of people moving in here. Maybe the pandemic will force people to reckon with the things that mean the most to them and bring about a new balance to peoples lives.

Unfortunately, it seems the pandemic also brings out the worst in people, as workers from CBG Construction have found out. CBG Construction and their subcontractors appear to have stolen wages from workers at several projects. A class action suit was brought up in August of this year. CBG Constructions portfolio includes properties such as the Flats at Atlas, 360 H Street, 501 H Street NE and Kennedy Row on East Capitol Street. DCist

Another company also being caught betraying the public trust is Capitol Petroleum, owner of three Exxon stations on Capitol Hill among other properties. Attorney General Karl Racine filed a complaint against Capitol Petroleum for price gouging during the pandemic and for unfairly increasing profits on gas distribution, and you can read it here.

In school news, the CARES classrooms are starting this week at several schools around the District. In Ward 6, Brent, J.O. Wilson, Miner, Payne, School-Within-School, and Walker-Jones are the only schools currently open for CARES. Councilmember Elissa Silverman tried to introduce emergency legislation to ensure that schools should only reopen when its safe and with a transparent timeline, but the legislation was not allowed in for discussion during yesterdays legislative agenda.

In crime-related news, some rock-throwing youths meant business when, while they were bullying another youth, they also flashed a knife at a neighbor questioning their behavior. The incident happened in the 900 block of 11th Street NE. Yes, these kids are violent and I cant imagine how scary the situation must be, but it begs the question, how have we failed these kids and their families, that they think senseless violence is the only way to engage with the community? Washington Post

(Self-congratulating for not referencing My Cousin Vinny until now.)

The National Review is still trying to convince whoever will listen that the activists who called for taking down the Emancipation Memorial in Lincoln Park were very, very wrong. Okay then, but one has to wonder how things would have gone if a more all-encompassing Emancipation Memorial design by Harriet Hosmer hadnt been so expensive to produce. Thank you to Fords Theater for the more nuanced history lesson, as it ought to be. Excited to see that they will be producing three anti-racism plays this coming season, to further their mission toward shedding light on, and ending, racial injustices.

In restaurant news, the space formerly known as Emilies is rebranding as Paraiso Taqueria. I chatted briefly with the Paraiso team via Instagram and they tell me that the new concept will be based around childhood memories of a Mexican town fair. The new chef, Geovanny Beltrn, is from the state of Guerrero, in Mexico, and he will be developing a menu that tells their story through the food they grew up with and know from home. They are the true heroes of the restaurant industry. There will be tacos, ceviches and more robust offerings such as lamb shank, as well as a Mexican bakery with conchas, churro doughnuts and tres leches cakes. As a reminder, the new Paraiso is at 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Follow them along on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes shots.

Lets end todays buzz on a (bitter)sweet note: Sean Doolittle and his wife, Eireann Dolan, share their Dream Day in DC with The Washington Post. Doolittle is now a free agent and hes relocated to Arizona, but we hope that he and Eireann always calls DC (and, well, the Hill) homeNaturally, our local bookstores starting with Capitol Hill Books get a lot of love in this Dream Day. Right now, a Dream Day for me would be one where people stop getting sick and dying of COVID.

See the original post:
Hill Buzz | The Hill is Home - The Hillishome

After decades of planning, Champlin will have a new place for people to live, play and gather along a stretch of the Mississippi riverfront that forms the suburbs northwest border.

Construction is underway on the first market-rate apartments in several decades in the city, a mostly residential northwest suburb across the river from Anoka. A restaurant, event center and pavilion are up next. Its all part of Mississippi Crossings, a sprawling $100 million riverfront redevelopment project that will also include a public dock, river walk and plaza.

The riverfront in Champlin used to be a source of commerce in the logging and mill days, said Bret Heitkamp, Champlins city administrator. This will provide opportunities for people who dont live on the river or have access to the river.

The project has been on the drawing board since the late 1990s when residents and city staff started talking about how to make its woodsy riverfront more accessible to residents. This month, Minneapolis-based Greco Real Estate Development and Property Management broke ground on the Bowline, a 214-unit apartment building that will include an outdoor pool and two public pickleball courts.

In addition to the apartments, the project will include an expanded green space with nearly 20,000 square feet of new outdoor community amenities including a city park and a 600-person riverfront amphitheater. Plans call for a pavilion with restrooms and gathering space that can be rented, a public plaza and open space that will have play equipment and an outdoor performance area. To expand recreational opportunities, a public boat landing is planned along with expanded docks to improve access to a 6-mile pool in the river thats popular with recreational boaters.

Heitkamp said with no official downtown area or commercial district, dining options are lacking in the city, so plans also call for a waterfront restaurant thats expected to be completed in 2021. Called Dock 21, a nod to Champlins location 21 minutes from Minneapolis, it will include indoor and outdoor dining options, and there will be a grab-and-go food component that will make it easy for people visiting the public docks. Abrinas on the River, a 19,000-square-foot event center with a 6,000-square-foot rooftop space, can be reserved by residents and visitors for weddings, community groups and other gatherings.

The project was first proposed in February 1999. Its been a long time coming and its nice to see it becoming a reality, said Heitkamp.

Over the decades, planners have been developing private partnerships and assembling additional land, including acquiring some aging apartment buildings and single-family houses. Heitkamp said eminent domain was not required to make those acquisitions.

A succession of mayors, council members and city staff have been focused on improving and adding infrastructure, including the multimillion-dollar reconstruction and cleanup of the Mill Pond Dam. In 2018, the city and MnDOT completed reconstruction of the Hwy. 169 corridor from Hayden Lake Road to the Anoka-Champlin bridge. And last year, United Properties completed construction of Applewood Pointe at Mississippi Crossings, a $30 million, 85-unit senior cooperative community near the Anoka-Champlin bridge.

Last year, Greco was named the master developer for a 12-acre portion of the site, which is part of the Mississippi Crossings Tax Increment Financing District. Grecos president, Josh Brandsted, said the firm will tackle other aspects of the project involving the public infrastructure, such as the public parking facility. Greco recently started working with the Cohesion Group, a Twin Cities-based hospitality and entertainment consultancy that will help bring the dining and event center space to life.

Until recently, the firm has focused much of its work on urban rental projects including several North Loop warehouse conversions. But with apartment vacancy rates in many parts of the Twin Cities on the rise, the company has been pursuing more projects outside the central cities. In the 2000s, the company developed a retail center in Bloomington, and in 2018 focused its efforts on a 400-plus-unit apartment project on a redevelopment site in Shoreview.

In the last four years we have shifted our focus to the suburbs, said Brandsted. Being a local owner/operator, we felt the shifts in the market as they started to transpire.

Continued here:
Construction is underway on first phase of Champlin riverfront revival - Minneapolis Star Tribune

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Winter is coming...and this year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is much more to fear than White Walkers. But don't fret, because you can still dine out in the cold, as the city is preparing for new, innovative outdoor dining options.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday the winners of the Winter Design Challenge a first-of-its-kind competition for community members to reimagine the winter outdoor dining experience in Chicago.

After receiving over 600 submissions, a team of judges that included architects, designers, chefs, restauranteurs and servers selected three ideas that not only capture the spirit of Chicago, but can provide feasible and safe options for Chicagoans to enjoy dining out as temperatures drop.

The winners of the Winter Design Challenge are:

Amy Young, ASD | SKY, Cozy Cabins: Small modular, adjoining cabins that fit within the footprint of a standard parking space.

We are honored that our concept was chosen for the Chicago Winter Dining Challenge. Our Cozy Cabins idea focused on creating a warm, welcoming experience to encourage Chicago residents to safely dine in rather than take out, said Amy Young of ASD | SKY. We wanted to create an outdoor destination centered around new experiences, neighborhood connections, and a sense of communityelements lost while dining at home. We hope this idea helps support small businesses and safely bring people together during this difficult year.

Neil Reindel, Block Party: A flexible approach to outdoor dining that is adaptable and easy to implement for many different sites and street configurations.

We are excited to have had the chance to reimagine our public spaces and provide Chicagoans an opportunity to experience the city in a fun and unique way. Chicago has always been a resilient city when faced with difficult times," said Neil Reindel. With Block Party we wanted to provide a warm place for people to reconnect as we move forward through the winter and into 2021.

Ellie Henderson, Heated Tables: Modify the Japanese Kotatsu, an economical way to keep warm and cozy in cold months.

I want to thank the City of Chicago, IDEO and the Illinois Restaurant Association for choosing my winter dining idea, said Ellie Henderson. My hope is that my proposal for using heated tables will help restaurants adapt, providing a novel open-air dining experience for their patrons that is safe and comfortably warm through colder months in 2020 and beyond.

The winners of the Winter Design Challenge will each receive a $5,000 cash prize. Additionally, the IRA will be selecting local construction firms that will start the process of bringing these ideas to life. The process will include design development and technical refinement. Once complete, the firms will be able to construct prototypes that can be tested at Chicago neighborhood restaurants in the coming weeks. The IRA will choose those pilot restaurants, and the construction will be paid for with funds that BMO Harris has previously contributed for this purpose, the Mayor's Office said.

"As we approach the winter months and adapt our COVID-19 response accordingly, we owe it to our restaurants to make sure they have what they need to continue keeping their doors open and serving their communities," said Mayor Lightfoot. "Thanks to IRA and the outstanding creativity of our Winter Dining Challenge winners, we will be able to not only make this a reality, but do so in a way that is safe and showcases our City's innovative spirit. I extend a huge congratulations to each of our Winter Dining Challenge winners."

MayorLightfoot also announced in collaboration with the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA), DoorDash will be providing $500,000 in financial support to Chicago restaurants to help cover the costs of winterizing their outdoor dining areas.

As winter weather looms on the horizon, Chicago area restaurants will be able to apply to receive a $5,000 grant to defray winterization expenses such as the cost of heating equipment, additional safety materials to improve indoor dining, upgrades for air filtration systems, bulk orders of blankets for patrons, and more. Applications open on Oct. 16, and recipients will be notified by the end of December.

To qualify, restaurants must be located in Chicago with three or fewer locations operating currently, 50 employees or fewer in 2019, and $3M or less in 2019 annual revenue per store.

Restaurants not only entertain us. They employ a lot of people. They are critical, not just to the employees in the individual restaurants themselves. But think about the supply chain that goes into supporting the restaurant industry in our city. Its vital that we do everything that we can to uplift them to give them a fighting chance, Lightfoot said.

To help restaurants and bars operate outside, the city will be holding webinars next week on safe outdoor operations. To register and learn more, visitwww.chicago.gov/businesseducation.

Follow this link:
Lightfoot announces winners of the Winter Design Challenge: cabins, blocks, and heated tables - RADIO.COM