Pizza Plant construction gets going at Canalside

Construction on the new Pizza Plant restaurant at Canalside is getting underway, as the owners of the popular Amherst eatery hope to open their newest location, in downtown Buffalo, by late summer, if not sooner.

Owners Robert and Dan Syracuse are putting in a 140-seat, full-service restaurant on the north end of the One Canalside building at 125 Washington St. Thats on the edge of the waterfront development, next to the Niagara Thruway, and near the historically-aligned canals and HarborCenter.

The eight-story building is home to a Courtyard by Marriott hotel on the first four floors and the headquarters of law firm Phillips Lytle LLP on the top four floors. Pizza Plant will be on the first floor near the hotel lobby. Theres also a single short-term executive apartment that was carved out of the northeast corner in order to qualify for a state tax credit for redevelopment of vacant old commercial buildings into mixed-use projects with residential space.

Crews have been performing preliminary work for the last couple of weeks, getting the 4,100-square-foot restaurant space ready in preparation for the start of real construction. The shape of the restaurant is already laid out, piping has been installed, and the walls will start going up in the coming days. The restaurant will have a double-door entrance directly from the Main Street side of the building, and a door from the enclosed corridor that rings the building.

Robert Syracuse said he and his brother are tentatively targeting a late summer completion, although they hope to be ready sooner in order to benefit from the summer season at Canalside. The restaurant, which began in 1980 and has one other location at 7770 Transit Road in Amherst, will feature a full menu and liquor license, including its vegan and gluten-free items. But it will also evolve as we go along to accommodate downtown, Syracuse said.

Our reputation is on the line. We want to make sure our staff is up to snuff, he said.

email: jepstein@buffnews.com

Read the original here:
Pizza Plant construction gets going at Canalside