CROWN POINT | The vacant Ponderosa restaurant on Main Street will be demolished soon to make way for a new complex that will house at least two restaurants, including the relocating Pop's Italian Beef and Sausage.

John Neckus, of Ascend Real Estate Advisors in Chesterton, said the owner of the Pop's, who currently leases the space at 1150 N. Main St. in Crown Point, plans to build an 11,500-square-foot restaurant and retail structure for up to five businesses.

Neckus said Pop's would use 3,200 square feet for the main restaurant and use another 1,900 square feet as a party and entertainment room. The Little Italy family restaurant will be opening its third location in another 3,200-square-foot space of the complex.

The remaining space is available and can be separate 1,900-square-foot businesses or combined into one, Neckus said. He is looking for any type of business, retail or food service, interested in leasing the space.

The owner of Pop's already has a permit to demolish the Ponderosa, and Neckus said plans for the new enterprise will be completed in 30-45 days. The project will then have to go through the city approval process, but the owner hopes to start construction by May 1 and be ready to open Sept. 1.

"The mayor and his staff have been wonderful to work with," Neckus said, "and the hope is that this project will be one of many where we can take a property that is in foreclosure or is vacant or underutilized and put in new businesses and services to turn them into productive properties."

Mayor David Uran said the Ponderosa was a family owned business for many years and the city was sorry to see it close, but he is excited to see Pop's moving there.

"We've had some initial meetings with them, and we anticipate in the next couple of months to see some action," Uran said.

Neckus said he recently signed on to do something similar for the former Anderson car dealership on Main Street just north of the Ponderosa.

"We are happy to work with the city to make these type of efforts possible," he said. "We want to bring together the people and investors to turn these properties into productive use."

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New tenants to occupy former Ponderosa restaurant property

Downtown Disney Overview Including The BOATHOUSE The Hangar Restaurant Construction
This is a look at the construction from both the water and land of The BOATHOUSE and The Hangar Restaurants at Downtown Disney. Also, more of the view of the...

By: MouseSteps / JWL Media

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Downtown Disney Overview Including The BOATHOUSE & The Hangar Restaurant Construction - Video

CSUN housings new Bamboo Terrace restaurant, an expansion of Geronimos, begins construction next week and will open in August 2015 as discussed by the executive committee on Thursday.

It will be like Bamboo on steroids, said Betsy Corrigan, the associate director of campus dining, referring to the Bamboo located in The Marketplace on campus.

While CSUN housing will be accommodating 400 more students this fall with the completion of the Phase II housing structures, Corrigan hopes to receive more walk-ins from students and faculty who dont normally eat at the establishment, which is located at the corner of Zelzah and Lassen.

Rick Evans, executive director of the University Corporation, said the addition will be first class dining.

The restaurant, which broke ground in January, will feature pan-Asian food (both authentic and Americanized).

CSUN has already recruited Benjawan Kumnudsri, a chef from Pepperdine University, and has a menu complete with 10 weeks worth of food.

Each week, the restaurant will feature food from a different region of China, of which there are five.

People will walk in, slide their meal plan card, and have this bank of food to choose from, Corrigan said.

The restaurant will feature five different types of salad, as well as rice, soup, sushi, dessert, tea and more.

You will be able to get a hamburger at Geronimos and then head on over to Bamboo and get some sushi, Corrigan said.

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Student housing set to receive new dining experience with Bamboo Terrace restaurant

Three days after filing a lawsuit against its landlord, the longtime restaurant Jour de Fte is facing eviction.

The law firm representing the property owner, Iacono Family Investments, posted eviction notices Thursday at the popular eatery, according to Jour de Fte co-owner Olivier Mottier and his attorney, Matt Ferguson of Aspen.

The eviction proceeding, which Ferguson said they intend to fight, deepens a legal dispute in which Mottier and co-owner Emelio Martinez claim they have lost over $80,000 because of ongoing construction on the Durant Mall that blocked customer access. The lawsuit also says Iacono Family Investments is improperly seeking over $34,000 in condominium assessments that the restaurant owners contend they withheld with the permission of Thomas Iacono, principal of the landlord entity.

Iacono is maliciously claiming that [Iaconos] family real estate investment business is due $50 per day for the temporary withholding of assessments to the Durant Mall condominium [association] that was discussed with him, Ferguson wrote in the lawsuit. That amount, which initially was $61 ,334 in withheld condo assessments, now stands at $34,350 because of late penalties and interest, the lawsuit says.

Mottier sought to withhold the condo fees because the eatery has lost so much money during the construction project the lawsuit says 6-foot-high impenetrable fences were erected that blocked Jour de Ftes entrance and Iacono allegedly told him that Iacono Family Investments (IFI) did not care about the assessments so long as the company received rent.

What was to be a mere renovation of the Durant Mall began in April 2014 and still has not finished, despite business owners allegedly being told the work would take about two months. The lawsuit says Iacono coerced Mottier into taking out a personal home-equity loan for almost $18,000 to pay for some of the work, in violation of the lease that calls for capital improvements to be the responsibility of the landlord.

The eviction notice demands payment or possession of the premises within three days, Ferguson said. Mottier and Martinez, however, are not going anywhere, Ferguson said.

Were going to fight this all the way to a jury, he said. This is baseless, groundless and mean-spirited.

He and his clients shared a letter Ferguson sent Thursday to Aspen attorney David Kelly, who is representing IFI. The missive says the penalty rent and interest on the condo fees are both invented to defend [IFIs] own prior and ongoing breaches of the lease. Ferguson also wrote that the restaurant owners paid the original $6,334, but that the money was returned 10 days later.

Iacono on Monday declined comment about the litigation, other than to say the facts will come out in court. Regarding the construction delays, he said that was beyond everyones control.

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Restaurant fight heats up

With 120 taps and 90 unique flavors, patrons will be able to taste a rainbow of different beers at Old Town Pour House at Downtown Crown when it opens its doors at the beginning of March.

The Gaithersburg location will be the first restaurant under Bottleneck Management Restaurant Group to open outside of its Illinois headquarters, where it operates two other Old Town Pour Houses, as well as a handful of other restaurants.

This is Bottlenecks first national project according to Mike Jettner, the groups operations manager. During a tour of the restaurant, which is still under construction, he explained that the owners did a very thorough job making sure the D.C. Metro location was the perfect fit for the company.

The owners came out, saw it and fell in love with the area and the space, Jettner said.

Old Town Pour House is located at 212 Ellington Blvd. and will boast about 220 seats inside as well as a 92 seat outdoor patio.

Weve been looking to expand for about two years, Jettner said, adding that Bottleneck solidified the Gaithersburg location less than a year ago.

While the managers and executive chefs are transplants from the Chicago area that were moved to get this site up and running, everyone else will be hired locally. Jettner said that they have been reaching out for employees through local colleges and community bulletin boards, as well as with wanted ads on Craigslist and in newspapers. They plan to start training new employees in February.

Jettner explained the menu as American classic with a twist, and said that because of their new Maryland location, there will, of course, be crabcakes.

In addition to local fare, about 20 percent of the beer on tap will be from area breweries such as DC Brau and Frederick-based Flying Dog, according to Jettner. He also said there will be choices of wine on tap, by the glass or bottle and a full cocktail menu, but there will be no bottled or canned beers.

I get more excited when other people get excited, Jettner said.

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Newest Downtown Crown restaurant to open in March -- Gazette.Net

Guy Revelle likely set a speed record in designing and creating the new Hablo Taco restaurant just 45 days from cocktail napkin drawing to construction and hiring. And thats just about right, he said, because the business plan is to make the gritty taco joint into a fabulous party that lasts two years, and then tear the place down.

Its an unusual plan, but so is the venue: Channelside Bay Plaza. Hablo Taco represents the first new restaurant to open in years in Channelside, and the first under the reign of the new mall operator, Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.

The concept was really two Gringos walk into a Mexican bar, Revelle said. Thats it. Hence the slogans all over the restaurant, Holy Guacamole, Dont drink the water, (drink beer instead,) and Our food is better than our Spanish.

Revelle and his partners were some of the original restaurant operators in Channelside, and they still run the Splitsville Lanes bowling alley bar/restaurant. But over the years, Channelside faltered, and his Stumps Supper Club and Tinatapas operations there shut down.

Meanwhile, Revelle was building new Splitsville locations around the country, including Miami, Dallas, Orlando (in Downtown Disney), Foxborough, Massachusetts and Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Then the mid-life crisis came, Revelle jokes. He went with business partner Mark Gibson to Mexico and ended up wandering into a small town bar drinking Margaritas and local tequila, which gave them a semi-voluntary nap. The story/myth he likes to tell is, We woke up when the Lightning god called, Jeff Vinik. He told us You two guys need to come back to Tampa and open a taco joint.

They want to remake this whole area for all the right reasons, Revelle said, sitting in the new Hablo Taco site amid the last few touches of construction. Its familiar space for Revelle, since its the exact space where his Tinatapas restaurant operated.

Part of the reason Revelle can move so quickly now with Hablo Taco is that Viniks company is supporting much of the cost to renovate and build out the space, while Revelle and Gibson will be operators once it opens.

The menu will be a combination of two parts: One part ultra authentic Mexican items like Street Corn rolled in sauces, and one part Gringo bar food, with items like Ahi Tuna tacos and cheeseburgers.

Local residents of the Channel District get the first peek Wednesday night, and theres a ribbon cutting with politicians on Thursday and then a full opening to the public Wednesday, Feb. 4.

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Channelside restaurant set to talk taco

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) January 27, 2015

Orlando waste management company, Sunshine Recycling, is working with contractor Commercial Construction Specialists (CSS) on the development of a new Dunkin Donuts restaurant on Highway 27 in Minneola, Florida. Sunshine will be providing 20-yard roll-off dumpsters for bulky construction materials, as well as frequent hauling services throughout the duration of the establishments construction.

Commercial Construction Specialists is a full-service construction firm with a unique business model. They were founded by commercial property owners and developers, giving them a greater understanding of the industry from the clients perspective. This helps them always adhere to their commitment to provide safety, excellence and quality in all their construction ventures. The construction of the new Dunkin Donuts in Minneola, Florida will be added to a long list of restaurants, retail establishments, medical facilities, schools and more that CCS has constructed.

The construction of a Dunkin Donuts will be a welcome addition to the expanding Minneola retail district. Dunkin Donuts has been beloved by Americans for over fifty years, serving over three million customers daily. This fast-food breakfast franchise has one of the highest brand loyalty levels compared to similar establishments. The restaurant boasts a warm and welcoming environment, helping customers get delicious, affordable food quickly and conveniently.

About 20 miles west of Orlando, Minneola is a small town with a close-knit community. An accessible breakfast establishment will allow residents in the area access to a meal thats convenient, affordable, and most importantly, hot and delicious. Sunshine Recycling will be fulfilling all the dumpster and hauling needs during the buildings construction, helping to ensure project reaches completion quickly and smoothly.

Were happy to be a part of this project, says Chuck Herb, owner of Sunshine Recycling. Every construction project will have debris that needs hauling, and were happy to assist by providing prompt and efficient hauling services for our customers.

About Sunshine Recycling Inc.: Sunshine Recycling Inc. of Orlando is a dumpster rental company servicing central Florida. Offering various sizes of dumpsters including front-load, roll-off and full-size construction dumpsters, Sunshine Recycling also provides recyclable, waste and construction debris collection and hauling services and trash compactors. The company is a proud member of the U.S. Green Building Council and is LEED AP certified. For more information about construction dumpsters from Sunshine Recycling, please visit http://www.orlando-dumpsters.com/construction-dumpsters/.

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Orlando Waste Management Company Provides Services for New Dunkin Donuts Construction

Jamie Oliver

Following years of speculation, it's been confirmed today that Oliver wants the Public Trust building on Lambton Quay and Stout St for his new restaurant.

McKee Fehl construction company is renovating the 107 year-old building.

Building owner and McKee Fehl managing director Maurice Clark said the restaurant would help create a "new hub" of activity in the area, which was home to many private and public sector offices but few restaurants.

Strengthening and repair work was due to finish late this year, after which tenants would take over the building, the Wellingtonian newspaper reported.

In late 2013, Oliver rejected SkyCity casino's dining precinct in Auckland as his restaurant location because he did not want to be associated with gambling.

According to Te Ara, the Public Trust Building was the only surviving building made of a true New Zealand granite. Forty years ago wreckers threatened to tear down the building but a 1975 campaign saved it from demolition.

Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown said she was delighted the popular chef chose the capital and she expected the restaurant to open early next year.

"I'm very excited and I'm very hungry," Ms Wade-Brown said today.

The mayor said she believed Mr Oliver chose Wellington because the city had a strong culinary culture and the hospitality industry was known for using quality local ingredients in restaurant dishes.

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Jamie Oliver to open restaurant in capital

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Construction is underway on a new restaurant in Putnam County.

A fence was installed on Tuesday for the new Panera Bread location at Liberty Square in Teays Valley. The sandwich and bakery shop will be built in the north west corner of the shopping center's parking lot. That's between Magic Mart and Bob Evans.

TJ Summers, owner of the Liberty Square Shopping Center, says Panera is expected to be 4,800 square feet and have a patio and drive-thru.

This will be the first Panera in Putnam County.

Summers tells WSAZ construction on the new restaurant is expected to be completed by June 15.

"Panera Bread will add a much needed restaurant choice to the market and we are very excited to have Panera Bread join Liberty Square's roster of tenants," Summers said.

Last year a lawsuit was dropped between the owners of Liberty Square and Neighborhood Hospitality, owner of the Applebee's.

The lawsuit claimed Applebee's was trying to keep other restaurants, like Panera Bread from moving into the shopping center.

The owner of Applebee's claimed its contract prevented similar restaurants from opening in the center, but again an agreement between the two parties was reached.

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Construction Begins on Panera Bread Location in Teays Valley

Its important to keep an eye on what construction trends will crop up over the coming year. What measures and policies will become more prominent? What new projects and practices will appear?

As we dig deep into the new year and begin making changes in our work environments, it's essential that we take a moment to look ahead and see how the industry is evolving.

1. Safety will be the biggest concern Safety already is a concern for most companies and project managers, but new technology that emphasizes worker protection will earn time in the limelight this year. As it has been in the past, expect this to be a monumental theme. After all, without your labor force, you won't be able to accomplish anything, so you need to be sure they're protected properly each time they come on the job.

Some new devices we'll see entering the market this year include carbon monoxide-detecting hats, which use noninvasive blood oxygen monitors to alert workers when they are working in areas with high carbon monixide emissions, CO2 bricks and increased safety features for modern rigs and machinery. This may even be a great opportunity for you, as a safety or project manager, to analyze your equipment and workforce in regard to safety.

2. Ground-up construction will be big There has been a large influx of ground-up commercial construction projects over recent months, and that looks to continue into this year as well.

We shouldn't have to point out all the ideal opportunities and locations for retrofit and renovation projects that exist out there. However, even with the abundance of retrofit space, it looks like most retailers and restaurant owners are looking to instead break new ground.

It goes without saying that general commercial construction contractors will benefit from this new trend. They'll have much more work on their plates, and they'll be able to create different structures from scratch using traditional ground-up measures. It means more revenue and more work for everyone involved.

3. Passive home construction Net zero energy homes, which rely on solar and renewable energy solutions, gained in popularity in 2014 but I think well see an increase in passive home construction in 2015. Passive homes rely on home design and materials for auxiliary heating and cooling.

4. Lower construction equipment emissions Going green continues with construction equipment companies creating environmental solutions to lower their footprint. While this trend may not be as hot as the others, it is one worth mentioning. Caterpillar created new power systems and the Tier 4 Final engines that increase fuel efficiency and adheresto government emission standards.

5. Premium talent and skilled workers are growing rare It's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for this, whether it's because younger crowds are choosing alternative careers or because the older, more skilled workers like the baby boomers are retiring. That said, premium talent and more skilled workers are becoming rare, and this is certainly going to get worse over the coming year.

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Construction Trends for 2015