Topgolf, the national chain of high-tech driving range and entertainment venues, was coming to Birmingham. In December 2016, the company, along with St. Louis-based ARCO Murray Construction Inc., signed an inclusion agreement with the City of Birmingham with a goal of 30 percent participation by minority- and women-owned firms in the construction of the huge facility on land lying just east of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Convention Center.

As an incentive, the city, in a separate project agreement, promised Top Golf a minimum annual payment of $228,000, or 30 percent of sales tax revenue, up to a cap of $1.5 million, to meet the goal.

Apparently, Topgolf and ARCO Murray shanked.

In a letter to Topgolf dated May 28, 2019, and obtained by AL.com, Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin revealed Topgolf and Arco Murray, based on its own documentation, had spent $601,919.99 with minority- and women-owned firms to complete the $24.6 million project$17.1 million of which was building costs, while $7.5 was listed as other related costs.

That calculated to be 3.52 percent of construction costs spent with minority firms, and 2.5 percent of total project costs, the letter outlined.

Topgolf and ARCO Murray did not come close to meeting those goals, Woodfin wrote.

As a result, the city terminated its project agreement with Topgolf and ARCO Murray and did not pay the incentive.

my administration, the mayor continued, has determined that Topgolf and ARCO Murray have failed to demonstrate any substantial level of effort to comply with the expectations represented by Top Golf in its project agreement with the City of Birmingham. Therefore, we are terminating the agreement.

AL.com reached out to Topgolf for comment and is awaiting a reply.

Our city has been relatively aggressive in identifying and providing incentives to businesses that are a good fit for Birmingham, says Clinton Woods, Birmingham District 1 City Councilor. "But in doing so it is imperative that we ensure that those businesses hold up their end of the bargain and in the instances where they dont, we must hold them accountable. Going forward I am very optimistic that Topgolf will continue to be a major attraction in our city.

On Tuesday, nearly a year later, the Birmingham City Council passed the mayors proposal to re-allocate the $228,000 slated for Topgolf in the citys FY20 budget as part of a $1 million investment in the second component of the Bham Strong stimulus package to support workers who have lost their jobs, while solving public health problems created by COVID-19, according to a presentation made to the councils Budget and Finance Committee on Monday afternoon.

The remainder of the $1 million is funded with $499,000 from the Office of Innovation and Economic Opportunity, along with $215,000 previously budgeted for a similar incentive agreement with the restaurant Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, which expired because the payout reached its cap amount; and $58,000 allocated for tax incentives to be paid to Brat Brot, which were deemed unachievable based on sales.

The initial arm of Bham Strong is a $2.4 million small business fund created to provide emergency low-interest loans to Birmingham businesses to help them weather the impact of the citys shelter-in-place ordinance created last month to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. As of late Monday, the virus has infected 597 people in Jefferson County and resulted in 15 deaths, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

The second component is the Birmingham Strong Service Corps. It provides paid volunteer opportunities to laid-off Birmingham workers to help fill needs bourn of the COVID-19 crisis. Among them: working call centers that check on residents of Birminghams 14 public housing communities, scanning for citizens that may be suffering symptoms of the virus (city says it has made 8,476 calls); providing rides to testing centers for residents without access to the facilities (in vehicles specially designed to protect the driver and passenger); and helping to feed Birmingham children who are out of school and the homeless.

Related: Bham Strong now accepting job applications

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and thus pulled back the veil on a wide variety of pre-existing disparities in our community, said District 5 City Councilor Darrell OQuinn. If convenient access to quality transportation, food, healthcare, education, etc. were difficult before, imagine how much more of a challenge those things are now with formalized social distancing as a result of Coronavirus.

Nearly 100 unemployed workers have already been redeployed to paid opportunities that support community needs, according to the Bham Strong presentation. These pilot projects are having a community impact while putting people back to work.

Every dollar will go in the pockets of Birmingham residents, reads the item on the councils Tuesday agenda, either as payment for service, food or other necessities.

This story will be updated.

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After Topgolf shanked on minority- and women-owned participation in construction, Birmingham terminated tax i - AL.com

Celeb-favorite Third Ward restaurant The Turkey Leg Hut is about to get even bigger. The perpetually packed restaurant announced last week that it just received permits from the City of Houston to begin construction on an expansion of its restaurant at 4830 Almeda Road. The plan is to add on 1,061 square feet to provide additional indoor restaurant seating, restrooms, and a bar area.

The restaurant expansion is slated to be completed by the summer, but construction will depend on state and city directives on timing to safely perform services during coronavirus containment efforts.

We are thrilled to have the green light to move forward with this expansion, Turkey Leg Hut founder Nakia Price said in a press release. Our first priority is keeping everyone safe during this pandemic, but as we make our way through this as a community, we look forward to brighter days ahead with more indoor seating capacity and additional accommodations to better serve our guests once we are able to do so.

This is just part of the companys rapid ramping up: the Turkey Leg Huts owners rolled out a food truck in the Galleria, and have been working on Savoy Urban Beer Garden, Daiquiri Hut, and Breakfast Hut, all in the Third Ward. It hasnt been without bumps in the road. Neighbors recently suspended a suit claiming the Turkey Leg Huts smokers infused smoke into nearby homes, causing serious breathing issues.

The Turkey Leg Hut at 4830 Almeda Road is currently open for take-out ordering and delivery only, with social distancing measures in place.

Read the rest here:
Turkey Leg Hut Gets the Green Light to Add More Restaurant Seating - Eater Houston

The "Oman Construction Industry Databook Series - Market Size & Forecast by Value and Volume, Opportunities in Top 10 Cities, and Risk Assessment" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

According to the publisher, the building construction industry in Oman is expected to record a CAGR of 5.8% to reach OMR 3.9 billion by 2024. The residential construction industry in value terms increased at a CAGR of 3.4% during 2015-2019. The commercial building construction market in value terms is expected to record a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period.

This report provides data and trend analyses on building construction industry in Oman, with over 80 KPIs. This is a data-centric report and it provides trend analyses with over 120+ charts and 100+ tables. It details market size & forecast, emerging trends, market opportunities, and investment risks in over 30 segments in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional construction sectors.

It provides a comprehensive understanding of construction industry sectors in both value and volume (both by activity and units) terms. The report focuses on combining industry dynamics with macro-economic scenario and changing consumer behavior to offer a 360-degree view of the opportunities and risks.

In addition to country level analysis, this report offers a detailed market opportunity assessment across key cities, helping clients assess key regions to target within the city.

Companies Mentioned

Reason to Buy

Key Topics Covered:

1 About this Report

2 Oman Construction Industry Dynamics and Growth Prospects

2.1 Construction Industry Growth Dynamics

2.2 Analysis by Building and Infrastructure Construction Sectors

2.3 Trend Analysis of Key Macroeconomic KPIs

2.4 Global Construction Industry Attractiveness Snapshot

3 Oman Residential Construction Industry Market Size and Forecast

3.1 Residential Building Construction Market Size by Value, 2015 - 2024

3.2 Residential Building Construction Market Size by Volume, 2015 - 2024

3.3 Residential Building Average Construction Value, 2015 - 2024

3.4 Residential Construction Analysis and Growth Dynamics by Number of Units, 2015 - 2024

4 Analysis by Residential Construction Markets Outlook by Construction type

4.1 Snapshot by Residential Building Construction Markets by Construction Type

4.2 Multi Family Residential Building Construction Market Size by Value, 2015 - 2024

4.3 Multi Family Residential Building Construction Market Size by Volume, 2015 - 2024

4.4 Multi Family Residential Building Average Construction Value, 2015 - 2024

4.5 Multi Family Construction Analysis and Growth Dynamics by Number of Units, 2015 - 2024

4.6 Single Family Residential Building Construction Market Size by Value, 2015 - 2024

4.7 Single Family Residential Building Construction Market Size by Volume, 2015 - 2024

4.8 Single Family Residential Building Average Construction Value, 2015 - 2024

4.9 Single Family Construction Analysis and Growth Dynamics by Number of Units, 2015 - 2024

5 Analysis by Residential Construction Markets Outlook by Key Cities

6 Analysis by Residential Construction Markets Outlook by Price Point

7 Residential Building Construction Growth Trend Analysis by Development Stage

8 Oman Commercial Construction Industry Market Size and Forecast

9 Office Building Construction Outlook

10 Retail Building Construction Outlook

11 Hospitality and Luxury Building Construction Outlook

12 Restaurant Building Construction Outlook

13 Sports Facility Building Construction Outlook

14 Entertainment Building Construction Outlook

15 Commercial Building Construction Growth Trend Analysis by Development Stage

16 Oman Industrial Construction Industry Market Size and Forecast

17 Outlook and Growth Dynamics by Industrial Building Construction Sectors

18 Industrial Building Construction Growth Trend Analysis by Development Stage

19 Oman Institutional Construction Industry Market Size and Forecast

20 Outlook and Growth Dynamics by Institutional Building Construction Sectors

21 Institutional Building Construction Growth Trend Analysis by Development Stage

22 Oman Building Construction Analysis by Key Cities

23 Oman Utility System Infrastructure Construction Industry Market Size and Forecast

24 Oman Transport Infrastructure Construction Industry Market Size and Forecast

Story continues

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Outlook on the Construction Industry in Oman (2015 to 2024) - Identify Growth Segments and Target Specific Opportunities - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...

Havana Cigar Lounge, a new bar and restaurant at The Yard in Fishers, donated the meals from its grand opening to first responders. Indianapolis Star

Plans have been delayed by actions taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but restaurant owners have not given up on their dreams

The novel coronavirus pandemic hasnixed dine-in service but it hasn't crushed the spirits of owners whowere scheduled to open new Indianapolis restaurants this spring.

Plans have been delayed by precautionsmeantto slow the spread of the coronavirus, but the owners of these restaurants have not given up on their projects. Keep a look out for a new breakfast place in Broad Ripple, a few brunch options, a European bistro in Noblesville and a Havana-themed lounge in Fishers.

9707 District North Drive, havanacigarlounge.vip.

March 23 was the scheduled debut date for former Delicia chef Ricky Martinezs contemporary Latin menu at this Yard at Fishers District newbie.

Havana Cigar Lounge chef Ricky Martinez grills skirt steak to serve to Fishers first responders and public service workers on March 21, when the lounge was supposed to celebrate its grand opening. The lounge's debut was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.(Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

Theluxury, tropical-escape was ready to go days in advance. Owner Omar Barham, who also runs the automobile sales business Coast to Coast Imports in Carmel and Fishers, had planned a grand-opening blowout, complete with ice sculptures and a live band under the lounge's palm trees.

Instagram eats: Follow Liz Biro's culinary adventures

Instead, he donated the grand opening to first responders in Fishers. Police, firefighters and public works department employees were able to pick up free meals curbside on March 21. The restaurant will resume full service when the the dine-in ban ends.

6331 Guilford Ave.

Thisshrine to biscuits was scheduled to open in late winter 2020 at the former Corner Wine Bar. Half-foot diameter biscuits hollowed like bread bowls and filled with sausage gravy were in the works, as well ascheesy and extra-spicyversions of biscuits and gravy. The restaurant is ready for inspections and will open once the dine-in prohibitions is lifted, co-owner Joel Bourke said.

B & G's will be abreakfast-all-day-and-night restaurant with a full bar and a pub area. Sit in acozy 28-seat breakfast caf serving classic breakfast favorites such as pancakes, eggs and bacon in addition to biscuits. Table service switches to quick service for the smaller, late-night menu.

56 S 9th St., Noblesville.

Chef Samir Mohammad and Rachel Firestone had planned to open their cozy, European-inspired bistro this spring. The couple is sitting tightas they consider retooling the menu for takeout.

We are still completely committed to accomplishing our goals and becoming a part of this community, they wrote on 9th Street Bistros Facebook page.

New north-side pizzeria: Lou Malnati's is on the way

Before arriving in Noblesville, Firestone, from Lafayette, and Mohammad, a New Mexico native, ran Bettola Bistro near Denver. The Italian restaurant garnered accolades from local food writers and crowd-source review sites. The chance to own their own restaurant brought Mohammad and Firestone to Noblesville.

1901E. 46th St.,goldleafindy.com

Nothing more than $10 on the menuand $5-$8 wine and beer by the glass are Chef Kristine Bockmans guidelines at this 60-seat eatery bringing breakfast, lunch and evening nibblesto theArsenal Park area.

Most of everything is completely built out now, Bockman said.

Once the dine-in cease order order is lifted, Gold Leaf could be ready to open in as little as two weeks.Meantime, were just going to kind of bide our time and perfect some things, Bockman said.

Atrained butcher who spent much of her cooking career at Italian restaurants in New York City and catering in Seattle, Bockman hasalso been a Smoking Goose sausage maker. Her Gold Leaf menu ideas include provolone-stuffed meatballs in tomato sauce and salted carmel pot de crme. By day, Gold Leaf will serve coffee, quick breads, breakfast sandwiches and light lunch.

1258 Windsor St.,kankanindy.com.

The team that created top Indianapolis top restaurant Bluebeard and its neighbor, Amelias Bakery, had planned to introduce this family-friendly theater/restaurant combo March 23. Opening day is up in the air, but Kan-Kan is already showing movies at virtual watch parties on its Slack channel and at Kan-Kan On Demand. Youll have to make your own popcorn for now.

When Kan-Kan Brasserie opens, Bluebeard chef and James Beard Awards semifinalist Abbi Merriss will helm the kitchen.She'll use locally sourced ingredientsin no-fussdishes like steak frites.An Amelia's Bakery cafe is under construction next door.

1101 N. College Ave.

Pastry chef Pete Schmuttes fans were thrilled to hear the dessert master would open his own place. AroundIndianapolis-area professional food circles, Schmutte has been described as probably the best chef in the city" thanks largely to showstoppers like the white chocolate tart he crowed with caviar for Beholder.

Pastry chef Pete Schmutte is developing Leviathan Bake House, a bakery, cafe and dessert bar scheduled to open sometime in 2020 in the downtown Indianapolis area near Mass Ave.(Photo: Michelle Pemberton/The Star)

The 40-seat bakery/caf/dessert bar he and Gallery Pastry Shop alum Matt Steinbronn are developing at the former R2GO specialty food marketnear Mass Ave. was scheduled to open in early 2020.

Were funded, Schmutte said. I can only say well open when were ready and it makes sense.

What Hoosiers want: Shake Shack and more

When that time comes, look for fancy treats alongside breads and simple cookies. Pop inmornings and afternoons for croissants, breakfast sandwiches, coffee andlight soup-and-sandwichlunches. At night, consider Leviathan a dessert bar.

130 E. Washington St.

ThisJapanese kaiseki experience was originally scheduled to open in November 2019. Construction delays moved the date to May 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has probably crashed that plan, but chef Akinori Tanigawa continues to tweak recipes for the sublime feasts of small plates Hinata owner Nobuharu Nobu Nakajima has in mind.

New ramen shop: Now open at the old Milano Inn

Before stay-at-home orders hit Indiana, Tanigawa showcased his cooking at privatetastings where he creatededible works of art like perfectly rare, soy-poached beef tenderloin slices in broth under a tangle of slivered scallion. Sweet red bean paste filled strawberry mochi packets alongside green tea ice cream dusted in macha and blooming from the center of a yellow sunflower bowl.

Hinata Japanese restaurant chef chef Akinori Tanigawa prepares tasting plates at a private luncheon at Studio C in Indianapolis. Hinata, a kaiseki-style restaurant, is scheduled to open in 2020 in downtown Indianapolis.(Photo: Liz Biro/IndyStar)

5858 N. College Ave.

Owner Gino Pizzi was waiting for final inspections in the days before the coronavirus stoppeddine-in service at Indiana restaurants. Construction delays had already pushed the opening date of this seafood restaurant from spring 2019 to fall to early 2020.

Pizzi, the man behind Indys popular Italian restaurant Ambrosia, ran an oyster bar by the same name years ago in Broad Ripple. Expect raw East Coast oysters, clam bakes, lobster rolls, chowders, clams casino, oysters Rockefeller, mussels steamed in red chili broth andfrom-scratch linguini with fresh clams.

The Pizzi family has also been working on a new Fountain Square speakeasy named Bar Fontana.

gallerypastryshop.com.

Owners Allison Keefer and pastry chef Ben Hardyhave been working ontwo outposts of their popular Broad Ripple location since mid-2019.

Gallery Pastry Shop chef Ben Hardy of Indianapolis prepares bread pudding at the 2019 World Food Championships semi-finals in Dallas. New Gallery Pastry Bar in downtown Indy and Gallery Pastry Brunch on the city's Old Northside are scheduled to open sometime in 2020.(Photo: Nikki Acosta/Magnetic Focus Photography)

Gallery Pastry Bar, a haven for bubbles, dessert-inspired cocktails and brunch andevening bites around an open kitchen, was scheduled to start popping champagne corks in April at 130 S. Pennsylvania St. All-brunch-all-the-time Gallery Pastry Brunch was due late summer at 319 E. 16th St., on the bottom floor of the new Three 19 apartment and townhouse complex at North New Jersey Street.

While both projects are on hold, Gallery continues operating as a takeout bakery and caf. Order cakes, lunch boxes, mimosa kits and more.

9707 District North Drive, havanacigarlounge.vip.

March 23 was the scheduled debut date for former Delicia chef Ricky Martinezs contemporary Latin menu at this Yard at Fishers District newbie.

Theluxury, tropical-escape was ready to go days in advance. Owner Omar Barham, who also runs the automobile sales business Coast to Coast Imports in Carmel and Fishers, had planned a grand-opening blowout, complete with ice sculptures and a live band under the lounge's palm trees.

Instead, he donated the grand opening to first responders in Fishers. Police, firefighters and public works department employees were able to pick up free meals curbside on March 21. The restaurant will resume full service when the the dine-in ban ends.

Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter: @lizbiro, Instagram: @lizbiro, and on Facebook. Call her at 317-444-6264.

Read or Share this story: https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/dining/restaurants/2020/04/03/new-indianapolis-restaurants-delayed-coronavirus-pandemic-indiana/2906403001/

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These 10 restaurants that were supposed to open this spring. They'll get here, eventually. - IndyStar

Amid the somber news revolving around the novel coronavirus, it is encouraging to see development reinvigorating once moribund areas of the City of Buffalo.

Thats whats happening on the East Side as a minority-owned construction management and general contracting company prepares to lease the third-floor space at Northland Central.

Northland Central is the hub in the 35-acre Northland Corridor light manufacturing business zone, an area that was once thriving but over the past several decades sat all but abandoned.

Rodriguez Construction Group is taking up more than 8,500 square feet of space at 683 Northland Ave. for its corporate offices under a five-year lease with a five-year option to renew. That places one of the last pieces of the puzzle on a remarkable and transformative project.

The Buffalo Urban Development Corp., maintaining momentum despite the stressful situation brought on by the pandemic, approved the agreement with Rodriguez Construction during a videoconference meeting. Rodriguez will also spend $400,000 to build out its own space.

The Northland Corridor, powered by $100 million in state and city funding, is evolving. Mayor Byron W. Brown deserves credit for envisioning the renaissance and revitalization in an area that had once been part of Buffalos manufacturing machine.

Inside this corridor is hope. Long mothballed buildings have been gutted down to the steel and remade to serve as a light manufacturing base, as well as a training center. BUDC redeveloped the 235,000-square-foot building, formally Niagara Machine & Tool Works, into the new home of the Northland Workforce Training Center and Buffalo Manufacturing Works, the anchor tenants.

This corridor is evolving into a hub of activity where people can learn a skilled trade, eat at a restaurant and browse some of the regions finest works of art the temporarily closed extension of the Albright-Knox-Gundlach Art Gallery is at 612 Northland.

Rodriguez now becomes one of the tenants at Northland, joining Manna restaurant, 43North winner SparkCharge and Retech Systems, a California clean furnace maker. Now there is only one small space vacant at Northland, putting the building at 97% occupancy.

Job well done.

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank-you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.

More:
With new tenant, Northland powers the East Side - Buffalo News

While the Chinese coronavirus shutdown continues to hurt millions of Texans and businesses across the state, small businesses in North Texas have united to give back to the community that has given them so much.

This Thursday and Friday, Colleyville restaurants Red Barn BBQ, Mother Clucker, Honey Teriyaki, Rio Mambo, Midici, The Neapolitan Pizza Company, and My Lanunited by Facebook group Colleyville Eatsare donating at least 120 meals to the COVID-19 teams of the Grapevine Baylor Scott & White Hospital.

We did dinner for [the Colleyville Fire Department and Police Department], and I was like, Well, if were doing [this] for them, Ive worked at Baylor Grapevine, said Candy Jaimes, whose husband runs Red Barn BBQ.

Candys donation idea just happened to coincide with a similar one at local chicken eatery Mother Clucker.

Originally, I had a customer call me, and she heard about local businesses being affected, so she actually wanted to donate $250 worth of food, which is roughly about 40 plates, said David Oun of Mother Clucker. Oun said the donor left it up to him where to donate the food, and he immediately thought of the hospital.

Right near us, a little bit north, is the Grapevine Baylor Scott & White Hospital. I was actually looking for a way to contact them until Lourdes from Colleyville Eats told me Candy used to work there, so she had contacts.

Oun and Candy joined forces, and the Facebook group Colleyville Eats helped spread the word.

Candy Jaimes from Red Barn BBQ has spearheaded the mission of delivering 120 meals to the COVID-19 unit of Baylor Scott & White in Grapevine this Thursday and Friday, Lourdes McWitheywho runs Colleyville Eatstold Texas Scorecard:

On Tuesday, March 31, she asked me to share this with Colleyville and Grapevine Eats members. So far, the response of local restaurants stepping up to help is tremendousRed Barn BBQ, Mother Clucker, Honey Teriyaki, Rio Mambo, Midici, The Neapolitan Pizza Company, and My Lan have offered to help. Colleyville Eats members are donating to restaurants by monetary donations with credit cards.

Leading the charge on giving is nothing new for Red Barn BBQ. The restaurant was started 15 years ago by Von Husbandsa man well-known in the community for his generosity and kindnesswho lost his battle with cancer last December.

Jaimes, whose husband Noel worked for Husbands for 14 years and now owns Red Barn BBQ, affirmed their commitment to continue his legacy of generosity.

Its 100 percent our goal to carry on his legacy and find different ways to help and just move forward with what he started. He was very generous.

And for this weeks generosity to the hospitals, it wasnt difficult to enlist others in the Colleyville community to help.

I want to do it. [Ive] got to do it, said Scott Choi of Honey Teriyaki. I cannot just receive and receive. I like to give some, too.

These restaurants are making this effort even though theylike many other small businesses in Texasare fighting for survival amid the coronavirus shutdown. Before this, these three Colleyville restaurants were already struggling with the Texas Department of Transportations road construction on State Highway 26 and its interference with business traffic.

Within two years that Ive been here in the business, because of construction on 26, theres about 11 or 12 businesses that went out of business, Choi said.

This is not new for us in [the] Colleyville area, but because of what was going on in Colleyville, because of the construction, there were so many businesses that just went out and they could not sustain the business. Construction is almost done. Now, the coronavirus, he added.

Ounwhose business is nine months oldwas just starting to see some growth when the coronavirus pandemic hit.

At a point in time in early March, late February, it was finally feeling like it was turning around, he said. And then the [coronavirus] started hitting hard. And then, boomovernight, customers just disappeared.

Clearly, its slowed our business tremendously, Jaimes said. We were just starting to see our business pickup, with the roads on 26 starting to be completed, and then this started. So, its just been a difficult time for us.

These businesses give credit to McWitheys Colleyville Eatsfor helping them the past few years.

Choi said McWithey just could not stand hearing about restaurants moving out or not being able to stay in business.

She put this group together pretty much just to help restaurants in the area, Jaimes added. It started off in Colleyville, and now they have Grapevine also.

She just pretty much advertises for small businesses in Colleyville. In situations like this, we have bonded together through Colleyville Eats to let people know which restaurants are open, which restaurants are taking things.

Because of how much the Colleyville community has helped them, these businesses are now giving back to the community and to each other.

Long story short is [were] trying to do what we can, Oun added.

And then the town is really pulling together to donate either food from the other local restaurants or money to provide more food for the nurses [and] the hospital staff. Its been a wonderful team effort, especially since we are a smaller town, so its nice to see our neighbors, our friends, coworkers, family all pulling together to try to support the people helping us.

As to how often theyll be able to make efforts like this, Jaimes says itll have to be a community effort.

It may get to doing a unit a week. It all depends on how many donations we get and how many restaurants that we get that would love to participate.

Financially, we cant do it by ourselves, she added.

Those interested in helping these businesses give to others may contact them and donate over the phone. They are also open for carryout. Red Barn BBQ offers limited delivery, whereas Mother Clucker and Honey Teriyaki offer delivery through third-party services.

Read more here:
Colleyville Businesses Giving Back to the Community - Texas Scorecard

Umberto Barrero* is just 25 years old, but hes already had a star-studded career in hospitality. He says that he started out washing dishes for Jean-Georges Vongerichten, before moving on to cook in kitchens run by Tom Colicchio and Stephen Starr. He now works in one of the hottest restaurants in New York at least, he used to.

Two weeks ago, most restaurants in the city were shut down as part of an industry-wide effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, and hundreds of thousands of workers lost their jobs overnight. But unlike many of his colleagues, Barrero had no unemployment checks to look forward to. The $2 trillion relief bill that will pay out $1,200 to most Americans wont apply to him either. Barrero is an undocumented worker, one of tens of thousands estimated to be laboring in the back of house of New Yorks restaurant industry. A former line cook who came to the United States from El Salvador in 2011, Barrero now has no income and has begun spending down his savings.

I dont have many other options, said Barrero, whose wife and two children relied on his income as an essential part of their budget.

Undocumented workers are a staple in New York City restaurants, so much so that theres an entire underground economy of fixers that produce paperwork, identification cards, and fake social security numbers that will pass muster for restaurant hiring. According to operators speaking on the condition of anonymity, everybody knows exactly who these people are when they see the paperwork.

But with over 26,000 restaurants in the city and a shortage of workers willing to labor for up to 12 hours a day as a line cook or a dishwasher, restaurants will hire them anyway as long as the identification appears legit and the business has plausible deniability if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes knocking. Some estimate that more than 20 percent of the countrys cooks are undocumented.

Government help is nearly impossible to get, even though undocumented workers in the United States pay $11.74 billion in taxes each year, equivalent to 8 percent of their incomes, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. (By comparison, the top 1 percent pays an effective 5.4 percent.) Because undocumented workers are, at least on paper, employees with social security numbers, restaurants still take taxes, unemployment, and social security out of every paycheck. But because the documentation submitted to employers is fake, when it comes time to reap the benefits of those payments, these workers are invisible to the government and get nothing.

The $2 trillion stimulus bill explicitly leaves out undocumented people, and beyond that, it also leaves out immigrants who would otherwise be able to get benefits, such as people who are filing taxes with someone who doesnt have a social security number, according to Rodrigo Camarena, director of the Immigration Advocates Network, the largest network of nonprofit legal advocates committed to defending immigrants.

This administration has made it exceedingly difficult for all immigrants to access government services and benefits, including immigrants with status, Camarena said.

Undocumented immigrant workers despite their critical role in the industry also have few industry advocates or lobbyists to help them in vulnerable times like this. Few people who Eater spoke to were willing to talk on the record about undocumented workers, at the risk of inviting an ICE raid in the middle of service; restaurateurs in particular were reluctant to speak. Organizations that specifically support undocumented workers are rare, and advocates have mostly relied on collecting money via GoFundMe.

Even the Independent Restaurant Coalition, which lobbies the government for more relief for restaurants and its workers and is backed by celebrity chefs like Tom Colicchio and Marcus Samuelsson, did not respond when contacted for comment about how they could help the undocumented workers that undoubtedly keep their kitchens running. There are few resources available for these invisible people, who often are already financially vulnerable.

I dont think that restaurants could exist without undocumented workers, said Nate Adler, who owns Gertie in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. But Adler, whose restaurant has a fairly small team that doesnt have undocs, as undocumented immigrants are commonly referred to, acknowledged that its a tricky topic to even talk about.

One of the few restaurateurs who has been outspoken about undocumented workers is Trigg Brown, who runs Win Son and Win Son Bakery in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Although he says that he has no undocumented workers at his restaurants, Browns Instagram account has been promoting a fundraiser for undocumented workers in the industry. Its raised more than $30,000, the equivalent of one weeks salary for everyone whos been earmarked for relief. The language on the beneficiaries of the fundraiser is intentionally vague to protect workers.

You have to OJ Simpson it a little, said Brown, referring to Simpsons book If I Did It. As an industry, there is an obligation for us to take care of all of our employees. Just because some people are dealing with documentation challenges doesnt mean we should screw them.

Another restaurateur, who would only speak on background, said that one of the main reasons for doing takeout was to be able to keep the undocumented dishwashers and prep cooks employed. An undocumented operator who was interviewed by New York magazine is staying open for the same reason.

Most restaurants staying open for delivery or takeout, though, are only doing a fraction of their normal volume, with a few notable exceptions. For an industry that operates on razor-thin margins, staying open may not be financially viable, to say nothing about health concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Undocumented workers rarely have access to health insurance Barrero doesnt and some restaurants are closing with worries about exposing more workers to the virus.

There are a small number of options for undocumented workers to get help besides donation funds like Browns. Restaurants like Gertie and Olmsted in Brooklyn are using funds from the Lee Initiative, a restaurant-worker nonprofit, to give away meals to unemployed restaurant workers, four days a week, and they are not asking for immigration status. There are also a limited number of foundations, churches, and nonprofits establishing funds to provide support for undocumented families. These funds are critical for immigrant families who are already afraid to access public assistance and currently find themselves unemployed and desperate for immediate assistance, said Camarena.

These programs may help undocumented workers tread water, but the tidal wave is coming. April 1 is just around the corner, and with it comes bills and rent that will be due. Restaurants and hundreds of thousands of laid off New Yorkers will face their first major make-or-break moment. For most of these undocumented workers who have been out of work for over two weeks and dont have the prospect of government aid, desperation is beginning to set in.

We can survive for one month with the cash that weve saved, said Barrero, who lives in a small Queens apartment with six other people, including his two children and wife.

Barrero theorized that he could work in construction as a day laborer as a last resort, but that was before New York banned all nonessential construction work. There is no government assistance. Something has to happen, he said. How will I pay my rent? How will I pay my bills?

Although members of Congress are already talking about another COVID-19 relief bill, senators have taken a recess until April 20. Legislation is likely a month away, and there are no guarantees there will be any relief that will positively impact undocumented workers. By then, a lot of their savings will have already run out, and Mays rent and bills will be due. Without their former front-of-house coworkers and restaurant owners to fight for them, many may end up on the street.

The tunnel for undocumented families is very long and dark, said Camarena.

*Name has been modified to protect his identity

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Coronavirus in NYC: Undocumented Restaurant Workers Are the Forgotten Victims of the Shutdown - Eater NY

Theres no single clear trend other than fear and confusion as the property world waits out the coronavirus fallout. The chaos impacts development, leasing, finance and all points between.

Here are our takes on several key situations.

RETAIL RENT PAYMENTS: The situations in flux after the Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Nike is in talks to pay half the rent on its hundreds of US stores. Prolific Manhattan broker James Famularo of Meridian Capital, whos handled many retail and restaurant leases in Manhattan, told us hes heard from many tenants asking for 50 percent reductions for the balance of 2020, some asking for three-month abatements and some mostly small, undercapitalized businesses canceling leases permanently.

Its too early to say what the norm is at this point, but nobody can pay rent while theyre closed. The only ones making money are markets and liquor stores.

COMMERCIAL LOANS: Trepp managing partner Manus Clancy said, I think its wait and hope for most lenders. Give extensions and forbearances as needed, especially when you know the developer is only having these issues because of COVID. I think that will be the case with performing loans on established hotel and retail properties for the next few months. No one wants to have to sell off assets in this market if you have an owner that is still engaged.

HOWARD HUGHES CORP.: The publicly traded Seaport District owner got a boost when Pershing Square Capital head Bill Ackman, whos also HHCs board chairman, agreed on Friday to buy 10 million additional shares of HHC stock at $50 each.

The transaction nets HHC $488 million, and leaves the company with about $1 billion in cash, which bodes well for its US properties far from South Street.

HHC said it would use the proceeds for general corporate purposes including to strengthen the balance sheet and provide liquidity. The good news wasnt enough to save 10 Corso Como, the 18,000-square-foot Italian design store and restaurant at the Seaports Fulton building. Both just closed permanently by mutual agreement between HHC and the stores owners, who attributed it partly to uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

550 MADISON AVE.: Olayan Americas investment in the former Sony tower $1.4 billion to buy and $300 million to redesign appears not to be threatened. Although the job will surely be delayed beyond a planned completion this year, sources said the company carries very low debt on the property and should be able to ride out the storm. Negotiations continue with Perella Weinberg and another prospective tenant for a large lease.

660 FIFTH AVE.: Things might not look as rosy for the tower formerly known as 666 Fifth, where Brookfield paid Kushner Cos. $1.3 billion for the ground lease in 2018. Brookfield also plans to put up to $400 million into a top-to-bottom redesign of the empty 1.5-million-square-foot tower, but the job has a long way to go.

Also, They chose the wrong time to empty the building of tenants, one observer said. And there are lingering conspiracy theories about presidential adviser Jared Kushners role and the involvement of a Qatari fund that invested in a Brookfield division. Kushner no longer has an active role in his familys company, and Qatar denied knowing about the 666 deal beforehand, but, Tenants will proceed more carefully, our source said.

A Brookfield rep said, Full construction was not contemplated until the end of the year or early next year so the construction shutdown will not have a material impact.

RESIDENTIAL CLOSINGS: Jamie Heiberger, president of Manhattan real estate law firm Heiberger & Associates, said, While offering plans generally allow for delays typically six months or a year prolonged setbacks often do kill deals because at some point the buyer can walk away. When this occurs due to an exogenous shock, it could trigger a chain reaction that causes projects to default on their loans. During the 2008 financial crisis, waves of buyers tried to renege on their deposits for new developments after real estate and stock prices collapsed.

But while, Certainly the same is possible as a result of the construction shutdown, Heiberger was optimistic that it wouldnt happen this time.

For one thing, she said, if the shutdown is over in a month or two, Construction can resume a lot faster in warm weather and make up for lost time.

And business isnt quite dead. We closed six deals last week and a few this week, compared with a past average of 40 to 60 deals each month.

Under the new rules, brokers cant show spaces. But the interruption in deed recordings isnt as disastrous as some reports made it seem.

Were doing escrow agreements and not holding up closings for condos, she said.

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How coronavirus chaos is impacting everything in the property world - New York Post

COVID-19 has hit restaurants hard, forcing many to brace for an uncertain future and even shutter permanently. But some Metro Detroit restaurants and chefs are not only figuring out ways to survive, but also give back at the same time.

Ron Bartell, owner of Kuzzos Chicken and Waffles, reopened the popular Avenue of Fashion restaurant at arguably the worst time March 14, two days before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered all restaurants to halt dine-in services. But that hasnt stopped Bartell from giving back even though his restaurant is facing an unprecedented challenge of navigating a pandemic. Hes part of a collective of restaurateurs and chefs dubbed Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen for Good, including chefs Maxcel Hardy of Coop Caribbean Fusion, Phil Jones of Ma Haru, and Genevieve Vang of Bangkok 96 Street Food, as well as restaurateurs like Bartell and Stephanie Byrd of The Block and Flood's Bar and Grille. The chefs have been meeting at Horatio Williams Foundation to cook donated perishable food for people facing hunger and homelessness.

Bartell isnt the only one in Metro Detroit helping the community as coronavirus sweeps through Detroit and Michigan, which was fourth in the nation as of Monday afternoon for confirmed cases. From food boxes for veterans and the elderly to operating a vegan food pantry, restaurants are finding new ways to help amid their own businesses struggles.

Kuzzos had been closed for the previous several months to do renovations and train staff. While the closure was planned, the construction on Livernois moved up the timeline. After several months of being closed, Bartells staff was excited to get back to work and that weekend, the restaurant saw about 900 people come through, normal business for a Saturday and Sunday.

Then he had to change the business model midstream and cut staff from 42 to 16, Bartell says. Kuzzos is doing carryout and delivery, but Bartell says hes not sure how long its sustainable. Margins are already paper thin and we still have fixed costs that arent changing.

But the communitys support is one of the reasons why Bartell wants to help those disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Weve been blessed over the years and the community has supported us so much. We want to help where we can. [The pandemic] puts things into perspective. Money and notoriety arent everything but having each others backs, that means everything.

David Rudolph, publicist for the restaurant and most of the chefs involved in the culinary collaborative effort, says Bartell was one of the first who expressed interest in finding a way to help people in need. Then Byrd of Midtowns The Block had perishable items that would otherwise go to waste, and Hardy offered to cook whatever was available.

These owners and chefs are committed to helping Detroit so they donated some of their perishable foods to help feed those in need, Rudolph says, adding It's tough enough dealing with a worldwide pandemic, then to be homeless, hungry, and for many not knowing when, or where to find their next meal. Some may call us stupid, foolish or crazy but we are leaders who lead, want to make a difference and will not cower to the coronavirus.

Another restaurant business looking to give back is Nosh Pit in Hamtramck. The vegan restaurant is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for carryout but has lost most of its business. Last year, about 30% of Nosh Pits sales came from the restaurant, and the rest came from catering and events, says co-owner Karen Schultz. She estimates from the canceled events, the restaurant is losing $30-50,000 a month.

Despite those losses, the restaurant has found a way to spur sales while helping out through a new program that offers an anonymous way for people in need to get vegan groceries or hot meals. People can seek or offer help on Nosh Pits website, and its bringing people in, Schultz says.

We're doing the best we can. And what's nice is [customers] are buying gifts for other people and that is keeping more business going in our restaurant, she says.

From the first weekend they started, they gave away $120 in free meals and fulfilled 16 requests for grocery items. It started with trying to connect people with items like gluten-free bread, then a request from Sasha Farms for help with grocery shopping, then collecting and redistributing produce from producers.

I inadvertently set up a vegan food pantry, she says.

The pandemic has been hard on the business and her personally but Schultz says, I'm choosing to do what I can to help other people while still helping my business.

Over at Indo restaurant in Keego Harbor in Oakland County, Southwest Detroit native Nik Alonzo and his wife, Melik, started preparing for the pandemic before it took a foothold in Michigan a couple of weeks ago. The two lived in Hong Kong for several years where they still have friends, and Alonzo was hearing from them the severity of the situation. Indo enacted safety protocols, including not allowing customers or vendors into the building, to reduce exposure and slid carry-out orders through their roll-up garage dooreven before the mandate from the governor to close. That week, business was horrible, he says.

By the following week, business picked up again. He also got an idea while delivering food to a friend, a veteran with several health problems. The friend was self-isolating to stay healthy and called Alonzo if he had any food, and Alonzo was happy to deliver some.

On his way back to the restaurant, I'm just thinking to myself, you know, I bet you there's a lot of veterans that are in the exact same spot that he's in right now. They can't and maybe don't have any friends or [other support].

The Alonzos started providing food boxes for veterans, elderly, and at-risk residents, and began crowdfunding to pay for the meals, raising about $1,500 so far. Theyve been able to provide 20 meals a day for people in need for the past two weeks. He adds that he's looking for another restaurant to partner up to help and make food on days Indo can't.

Since we started this program for the veterans that actually increased our business a lot, he says. People want to help people that are helping out in their community.

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Amid challenges brought on by COVID-19, Metro Detroit chefs and restaurants find ways to give back - Concentrate

There are no new Portland restaurants in the time of COVID-19. Somehow, though, there is new pizza. Chef Joshua McFadden's new joint, Cicoria, wasn't supposed to open until spring or early summer inside the former Roman Candle space, which is still under construction. But the "tavern-style" pie developed by McFadden and baker Daniel Green was already dialed in. So with McFadden's other restaurants, Ava Gene's and Tusk, pivoting to socially distanced takeout, adding pizza to the dinner menu just made sense. Call it the longest, biggest "friends and family" preview ever. There are four standard piescheese, pepperoni, white and pomodoroplus a daily special. You can also get everything from eggs and raw cookie dough to Tusk labne and McFadden's Caesar dressing. Order online, pull into the parking lot at a pre-appointed time, open your trunk, and let an Ava Gene's staffer bring it out to you.

The pizzas are cut cross- and length-wise into little squaresthe "party" or "tavern" cut found all over the Midwest, originally in bars that had no kitchen. Not all pieces are the same. "It's like a personality test almost," says McFadden. "Like who wants a little corner, who wants the square one, who wants the inside ones? It's become kind of a funny little game at the restaurant."

But Cicoria brings quality ingredients to a style of pizza originally meant to be washed down with Schlitz. The flour is freshly milled and regional, the crust is 50 percent whole wheat, and while it's crispier than Neapolitan or a foldable New York slice, it's neither buttery nor greasy like Chicago thin crust.

The pies feature a mix of fresh mozzarella, which is hand-pulled in-house, and aged mozzarella, uncooked sauce (California tomatoes milled with salt) and Italian oregano, which comes dried on its branches. "For whatever reasonwell, no surprisethey do it best," says McFadden. "It's quite concentrated and very fragrant."

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Joshua McFadden Opened a New Pizza Restaurant in the Middle of a Pandemic. Thank Goodness. - Willamette Week