ALLENTOWN, Pa. -

A landmark restaurant in Allentown is being reborn.

The Shanty in the 600 block of North 19th Street has sat vacant for years. Now, workers are busy, hopeful its doors will open in time for the west end's St Patrick's Day festivities.

The Shanty's new owners said they wanted to give the landmark an updated look while keeping some of the things that made it memorable.

The Shanty many people remember before the restaurant closed in 2005 featured a green and tan awning with a sea horse.

The building has since changed hands a few times. Workers are now bringing the landmark restaurant back to life.

"We are going to have exhibition cooking. We are going to have the salad bar. The vibe is going to be very similar," said Ron Pickering

Pickering and Joe Tatasciore, owners of the Sunset Grille in Upper Macungie Twp., Lehigh Co., leased the space and are partners in the culinary adventure, although for the last few months, they said it's been nothing but new plumbing, electrical and tile work.

It's a feast of construction, using a lot of the restaurant's original mahogany and replicating its trademark mirrors over the bar.

"This is going to be back where our dish area is, and instead of taking our dishes and glasses out through the kitchen entrance, this is going to be a pass-through," said Tatsciore.

Here is the original post:
Work underway to reopen landmark restaurant in Allentown

Jury finds Rapid City man guilty of brutal assault Jury deliberates Rapid City kidnapping, beating case

Updated: Friday, January 24 2014 1:07 PM EST2014-01-24 18:07:48 GMT

A Pennington County jury is deliberating the fate of 29-year-old Luke Elk Nation. He's charged with aggravated kidnapping, assault, drug possession and witness tampering.In opening statements Thursday,

29-year-old Luke Elk Nation is charged with aggravated kidnapping, assault, drug possession and witness tampering.

A Montana man charged with the first degree rape of a 12-year-old girl changed his plea to guilty. Edward Mcintosh, 30, told the court Wednesday morning that in August, 2012, he was in Rapid City to

A Montana man charged with the first degree rape of a 12-year-old girl changed his plea to guilty. Edward Mcintosh, 30, told the court Wednesday morning that in August, 2012, he was in Rapid City to

SPEARFISH, S.D. (AP) _ The Spearfish City Council has hired a local contractor to demolish a call center that collapsed under the weight of snow from an early October blizzard. TMone's 225

The demolition work is to cost about $50,000 and be completed by mid-May. The city has set up a committee to recommend a contractor to construct a new building.

A new restaurant coming to Rapid City will soon spice up East North Street with some Louisiana style chicken. Owners of the Platinum Restaurant Group say construction will begin soon on a Popeyes Louisiana

Owners of the Platinum Restaurant Group say construction will begin soon on a Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen. It will be located next to "On The Border."

Read more:
New restaurant set to spice up Rapid City

Leak in fire supply line to El Torito Mexican Restaurant the latest in county repairs needed to bring aging Dana Point Harbor infrastructure up-to-date

Construction crews are working to repair a fire line leak at the Dana Point Harbor. Similar repairs have cost an estimated $2 million since 2005, county officials said. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

By Andrea Papagianis

Heavy machinery and signage reading All businesses open during construction have recently provided a greeting for visitors of the Dana Point Harbor.

With concrete walkways torn up and deep trenches dug, construction crews are working to replace a leaky pipe leading to El Torito Mexican Restaurant.

A large trench was dug near El Torito Mexican Restaurant and the Dana Point Harbor so a fire supply pipeline could be replaced. Photo by Andrea Papagianis

Similar repairs and maintenance to aging infrastructure throughout the port have cost an estimated $2 million since 2005, said OC Dana Point Harbor Director Brad Gross. In addition to that, the current repairs are likely to cost another $100,000, he said.

The leak started in a fire supply line to El Torito. Crews repaired the line, but a required fire inspection and subsequent pressure test turned up problems with original materials. An increase in pressure requirements proved too much for the original pipes, and caused additional failures in the line, Gross said.

A larger portion of the pipeline is now being replaced with a material able to withstand current water pressure requirements, he said. Pipe replacement could be wrapped up in the next few days, Gross said, followed by the replacement of a concrete walkway and steps to the restaurant.

Aside from messy walkways and bulky machinery, Gross said businesses are operating as usual.

Original post:
Dated Infrastructure Costs Rise to $2 Million Since 2005, Harbor Director Says

ROANOKE, Va. -

It's been close to three weeks since construction in downtown's Market area began. January is a slow month for stores and restaurants on the market, but the construction is adding more challenges.

The construction is causing some people to shy away from the downtown area as a whole, but the city is helping businesses there creatively keep the customers coming.

It's a popular spot for a bite, some shopping and a drink. But extensive construction in Roanoke's downtown is causing some hiccups, but not for every business on the block.

"So far I haven't seen too much I haven't heard much of the grumbling just yet but as we get colder, and maybe into the next few weeks as it really starts to take off, maybe I might hear some more," Director of Operations for Billy's Restaurant, Colin Jones, told Your Hometown News Leader.

The Blue's Barbeque Company is a popular bar and restaurant on the market. For weeks now, the business has been directly blocked by the fence surrounding the construction. But, management says, the city is stepping.

"We got some money from the city for advertisement we've been putting ads on the radio and on television as well. Advertisement downtown, they've been helping out a lot with the signs on the fence just to make sure people know we're still open," the floor manager for Blue's Barbeque Company, Michael Strubel told WDBJ7.

For the most part, businesses are pleased with how the city is handling the construction, and rely on organizations like Downtown Roanoke Incorporated to be a go between .

Matt Klepeisz, with Downtown Roanoke Incorporated said, "we've really done the best we can to keep going between them to make sure that everything is going smoothly and that everybody understands what's going on."

To keep people coming downtown, many of the shops are having sales and specials. According to city officials, construction should be complete in April.

Here is the original post:
Downtown businesses coping with construction

No, you will not be able to get an oil change at Spike Gjerde's Parts and Labor.

You will however, be able to order a variety of meats at the Remington butcher shop and restaurant being planned by Gjerde, the restaurateur who also owns Woodberry Kitchen and Artifact Coffee, as well as Shoo-Fly in the Belvedere Square shopping center.

In this case, the word parts refers to animal parts, Gjerde said as he presented plans for Parts and Labor to the Greater Remington Improvement Association on Monday, Jan. 20.

Gjerde, appearing with his restaurant group's general manager, Corey Polyoka in a conference room at the Miller's Court apartment complex, promised an audience of about two dozen people an old-fashioned butcher shop with tile floors and walls, "along with a really cool small restaurant ... in one of the coolest neighborhoods there ever was."

Gjerde said he hopes to open Parts and Labor in the next two months in the former Mr. James Tire Shop at 26th and Howard streets, across the street from Miller's Court. The building has been redeveloped by its new owner, Seawall Development Corp., and Parts and Labor will be the third tenant to move in, behind Single Carrot Theatre and the nonprofit Young Audiences Arts for Learning, both of which have already moved in.

"We are slightly more than a month away from wrapping up construction," said Gjerde, who still needs city approval for a liquor license. He and Polyoka said they would try to buy local and regional beers and wines, and will offer 24 "taps."

He also said he plans to apply for a Class B liquor license in February, to serve beer, wine and liquor.

Woodberry Kitchen, which Gjerde co-owns with his wife, Amy, is known for using local and regional farmers and growers who practice sustainability for its meats and produce whenever possible, and hopes to "increase out ability to do that," with the new butcher shop, Gjerde said. He said his continuing mission is "feeding people in a way that respects the planet."

He said he plans to do his own curing and smoking of meats, and will cook in the restaurant in a large open hearth, using cast-iron skillets and pans, rather than having a traditional commercial kitchen. The restaurant will specialize in "lots of shareable plates," as well as lunch sandwiches.

"We wanted to do something really basic," Gjerde said. He said he opened Woodberry Kitchen in 2007 with "once central idea," local food and produce, a concept that "has taken on a life of its own," he said.

Visit link:
New details on planned restaurant, butcher shop in Remington

CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, members heard from a businessman whose restaurant is being hurt by the Shoreline Boulevard realignment project.

The businessman cited poor construction signs along Shoreline that have confused retail businesses as well as those who work in downtown offices.

Kiii News Reporter Brian Burns went Live from Shoreline Boulevard with the details.

During public comment at Tuesday's meeting, council members were told that the signs were confusing at best. Carlos Gonzalez, the manager of Joe's Crab Shack, said the construction sign confusion is hurting many retailers downtown because they were not notified when the roads were going to be shut down. He added that the construction is doing more than cutting the number of customers.

"It's hard to get to us. My business has dropped off by 30-percent since October. I was on my way to a record year. Then, as soon as the road closed, I had no idea it was even happening," Gonzalez said. "Our employees can't even figure out how to get to us sometimes. Since they've opened up Lawrence at Water, that's helped a little bit, but you still got to be very conscious about where you're going to turn at."

The City promised Gonzalez they would erect signs to the restaurant and other affected downtown businesses to let people know they're still there.

Council members also discussed a design change that will actually save the City more than $200,000.

See the rest here:
Downtown Businesses Negatively Affected by Shoreline Realignment

LUMBERTON There was a time when scoring a table at Uncle Georges restaurant was difficult.

Times have changed.

For 20 years, the restaurants menu of sandwiches, pizza and Italian specialties drew a mix of truckers, lawmen, office workers and families. Today, diners are few and far between.

Uncle Georges co-owner Sue Vasilopoulos blames the downturn on the nearby construction of a new bridge on U.S. 301.

Vasilopoulos, who opened the Fayetteville Road restaurant with her husband George in 1993, said the decrease in traffic to her establishment has been unprecedented.

We used to have a full house during lunch, now we only serve four to six tables, she said. The loss has been tremendous, people avoid this area because they dont want to deal with the congestion.

The eatery can accommodate up to 95 customers.

In August 2012, Devere Construction Company of Alpena, Michm. was awarded a $12.9 million contract to replace the old bridge with a diverging diamond interchange over Interstate 95. Vasilopoulos said she noticed an immediate drop in business when construction started in September 2012.

The project is currently running ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed by November, according to Chuck Miller, district engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Vasilopoulos attributes the decrease in business to a number of factors, including the widespread use of safety cones and other construction indicators near her restaurant.

More here:
A bridge too far: Business down due to road project -

By Ethan McSweeney | Published 5 hours ago | Updated 5 hours ago

A fire broke out in the kitchen of Kababeque Indian Grill on University Boulevard late Sunday night.

The fire started at approximately 9:45 p.m. in the restaurant, which has been undergoing remodeling recently. Construction workers were inside the restaurant when the fire broke out.

Something was left on on one of the stoves, said Jack Horton, one of the construction workers.

Horton and two workers were part of a night construction crew that had begun renovation work inside the restaurant at around 9 p.m. Horton said they were putting up plastic inside when the fire broke out towards the back of the restaurant in the kitchen area.

We tried to put it out with the fire extinguishers, Horton said. We thought we had it out but the fire started back up again and we had to call the police department because it got so smoky in there we couldnt see anything.

Horton said none of the construction workers were injured by the fire.

Eat-a-Pita, the restaurant next door to Kababeque, was forced to evacuate after smoke began filling up inside, according to Shelby Gormsen, an employee at Eat-a-Pita.

At 9:50 p.m. [the construction workers] came and told us that there was a fire next door, Gormsen said, and thats when all the smoke started coming in through here.

Emergency services from the Tucson Fire Department, the Tucson Police Department and the University of Arizona Police Department responded to the incident and the fire was eventually extinguished. Several emergency vehicles closed off traffic on the block of University Boulevard between Euclid Avenue and Tyndall Avenue in front of Kababeque until approximately 10:50 p.m.

Read more from the original source:
Fire breaks out inside University Blvd. restaurant late Sunday night

Virginia Cares looks to General Assembly for funding Virginia Cares looks to General Assembly for funding

Updated: Friday, January 17 2014 10:22 AM EST2014-01-17 15:22:05 GMT

A local program helping ex-offenders find jobs is keeping a close eye on Richmond. Virginia Cares is hoping the General Assembly will pass nearly $1.3 million in funding for the program statewide. More

The program helps ex-offenders find jobs in the community.

Updated: Friday, January 17 2014 9:05 AM EST2014-01-17 14:05:14 GMT

Crews are responding to a house fire in the 5800 block of Bent Mountain Road. Roanoke County Police say the fire is blocking traffic and only one lane is open in the area. Police say expect delays.

Police say only one lane of traffic is open.

Updated: Thursday, January 16 2014 10:45 PM EST2014-01-17 03:45:57 GMT

The state is paying nearly eight million dollars to renovate one of Roanokes most historic buildings. Roanoke Higher Education Center began its 18-month long renovation in October Executive Director Tom McKeon says the structure is an important part of the areas history as well as local students future. "Its an iconic building for Roanoke, McKeon said. It represents the rail age for people so it was importan...

The state is paying nearly eight million dollars to renovate one of Roanokes most historic buildings. Roanoke Higher Education Center began its 18-month long renovation in October Executive Director Tom McKeon says the structure is an important part of the areas history as well as local students future. "Its an iconic building for Roanoke, McKeon said. It represents the rail age for people so it was importan...

Follow this link:
Construction of hotels and restaurant at Huff Lane site could begin soon

Click photo to enlarge

Will Brady, owner of B Street Oyster Co., talks to a reporter on Monday about the challenges involved in opening his business.(Frank Rebelo/Staff Photo)

All Chico E-R photos are available here.

CHICO -- After 18 months of construction, all systems are go to open B Street Oyster Co.

Downtown's newest restaurant has passed its fire inspection, light fixtures dangle over booth seats and chalkboards hang waiting for daily menus to be scribbled across their surfaces.

The last remaining step is final inspection for permit of occupancy. After a long battle with the city last year over the restaurant's liquor license, owner Will Brady was hoping for smooth sailing.

Instead, city officials notified him last week the fire escape option in building plans they approved last May and the design he built to was inadequate as planned. Left with no other options and significant investment in the new, nearly finished site, the only foreseeable option was to evict B Street Oyster's tenant, neighboring restaurant Thai Basil, to make way for a fire escape.

"We did not want to build our restaurant on the bones of another," Brady said. "A restaurant can't kill another restaurant to be a restaurant. That's just bad karma."

He filed an appeal of the city's ruling, and after a meeting at city hall on Wednesday afternoon, he was happy to report that a resolution took just one discussion instead of many.

He credited Building Official Nelson George and Community Development Director Mark Wolfe for working to find an agreeable option.

At issue was a secondary fire escape, which is required for restaurants of its size. The building code says the dispersal area for patrons and staff must be on the same lot as the business, which wasn't physically possible.

Originally posted here:
Downtown Chico restaurant overcomes second hurdle with city hall