Taken Down Twice, But Not Out

OLD SAYBROOK - Two storms have taken the Dock & Dine restaurant at Saybrook Point down, but not out.

Many area patrons of the iconic shorefront restaurant, in operation since 1940, worried its destruction by two storms in two years would finally take it down for good.

Since the restaurant suffered substantial damage in Superstorm Sandy, federal flood insurance rules required that, if it were to be rebuilt, it would have to meet current construction standards for structures in flood zones.

But owner Jon Kodama was not done. Forming a new firm, The Point, LLC, he and his partners decided to rebuild the Dock & Dine, this time to modern flood code standards.

The proposal started moving through the land use approval process in October 2013. After just six meetings with five commissions, The Point, LLC's, applications to construct a new, 13,500-square-foot restaurant 14 feet above the Connecticut River were approved. The last clearance, from the town's Zoning Commission, was secured Dec. 2.

With these approvals now in hand, the restaurant construction process can begin.

According to Joe Wren, project site engineer and owner's agent, the first step, demolition of the existing structure, should be completed by Jan. 15, 2014. Once the debris is cleared, drilling crews will move in. From mid-January through February 2014, 140 piles that will support the future restaurant facility will be driven.

Wren said that The Point, LLC, expects to finish construction of the new Dock & Dine, a restaurant facility that will be able to accommodate up to 425 patrons, by July 2014.

Several details of the new restaurant plans offer improvements for the general public and for patrons.

"The new building is set six feet further back from the river [than the original]," explained Wren.

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Taken Down Twice, But Not Out