Revival plans set for The Birchwood after closing last month

The Birchwood restaurant in Riverhead closed suddenly last month. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

A sheet of paper taped to the glass door of The Birchwood restaurant in Polish Town states the restaurant is closed for renovations.

We will be Renovating the Restaurant over the next several weeks!! reads the notice, which was still posted as of Monday and signed The Owner.

Although the sign was posted last month, theres been little sign of construction at the shuttered site.

Andrea Mayer, ex-wife of the restaurants previous owner, James Loo,told the News-Review Monday that the restaurant would undergo cosmetic changes that wouldnt require building permits from Riverhead Town.

Ms. Mayer, who recently took over The Birchwood after Mr. Loos death, said she hopes the restaurant will reopen in the next couple of months and said delays have been caused by legal proceedings.

Itll be open, she said. Itll be new and fresh and good for that area.

The sudden shuttering of the popular Riverhead eatery was the latest in a series of legal filings over the property, from foreclosure actions against Mr. Loo in 2011 to estate proceedings last month which gave the restaurant to his 12-year-old daughter, Amanda, following Mr. Loos death earlier this year.

Ms. Mayer, who divorced Mr. Loo in 2004,was named as administrator of the property last month in her daughters stead.

Although she declined to comment Monday on the fate of the restaurants staff, she said The Birchwood wouldbe under new management when it reopens.

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Revival plans set for The Birchwood after closing last month