January 29, 2008

City's restaurant attraction program serving up nothing at all

Almost five years ago, the city established a fund to lure sit-down restaurants downtown.
Officials hailed the prospect of creating “a restaurant row” downtown and vowed to lure high quality, sit-down eateries that would be open for dinner at least six nights a week.
Through a $60,000 annual payment to the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce, taxpayers hired Dawn Leger to lead the program as downtown coordinator, she moved on after three years without success.
Only once did the city come close to nabbing something – when Vita’s got the green light for $60,000 to open on Main Street. But that deal collapsed when The Bristol Press exposed the owner’s financial problems.
The city also dug into the fund to give the former Centre Mall Pizza $60,000 so it could move out of the mall to the opposite side of North Main Street, a move that officials readily admitted had nothing to do with the aim of the restaurant program.
So despite all the effort and money, said BDA commissioner Mike Rivers, “there are zero” restaurants that have been attracted.
Jonathan Rosenthal, the city’s economic development director, remains optimistic.
He said he doesn’t want to dip into the funds for anything less than restaurants someone might seek out for a Valentine’s Day dinner.
“I wouldn’t take away from the white tablecloth fund,” Rosenthal said.
He said the idea is to have restaurants that can seat up to 60 people indoors with a full-service menu, places that are “high quality and unique.”
Rosenthal said that when the program began, officials have six or seven possible locations in mind for new restaurants. Many of them are gone now, including the basement of developer George Carpenter’s office building at the corner of North Main and Center streets. Carpenter didn’t want to put in the required ventilation there, Rosenthal said.
But with activity likely on the 17-acre mall site in the next couple of years, officials are content to keep waiting.
They said that sooner or later, restaurants will discover downtown Bristol.

Update:
Dawn Leger sent this along:
"I never made $60,000 in that job; far from it. The Chamber was paid $60,00 by the City, but my salary - at its highest point - was $45,000.
We had many very interested and well-known restaurants looking at properties in Bristol, as Jonathan mentioned, but the program was presented too early for anyone to bite, and most of the sites vanished within the first year of the promotion.
Maybe someday, it will come."
Thanks for the clarification, Dawn!

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its a good thing we still have Rosenthal! He's doing such a great job!

Thanks Minor, Block Nicastro and Ward!

Anonymous said...

Looking at Rosenthal, I'd think he keeps 2-3 restaurants in business all by himself.

Anonymous said...

The roadside cafe across from the post office seems to be doing just fine .

Anonymous said...

There is a hot dog joint coming where the tatoo parlor failed on North Main Street. Hope they cleaned up the syringes.

It's called Dirty Dawgs so I guess it ain't a linen tablecloth type joint but it does prove that after a dozen years Jonathan Rosenthal is finally bringing home the bacon. Can't wait for the ribbon cutting.

What's next, a popcorn cart, Mr. Peanut?

You go JR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

West Hartford got Cheesecake Factory. We got Dirty Dawgs.

Jonathon is burning with success now.

Stand back for his next trick folks, what's faster, the waiting line at Dirty Dawgs of the teller line where Rosenthal cashes his next fat paycheck?

Anonymous said...

Hey, stupid who wrote the first comment ... Block wasn't even around five years ago. Why don't you get your facts straight or, in this case, why don't you blame the proper people! Also, look to Rosenthal for not enticing people. That's not the council's job.

Anonymous said...

Does that tell anyone anything. Business people are voting with their money about the future of downtown. Except for a hot dog stand, they are voting no.

By the way whatever happened to the coffee shop or bakery that was going to open?

Anonymous said...

Did the city ever get the money from the state for the restaurant program?

Or was this another con job by Rosenthal?

Anonymous said...

6:00 poster,

your correct that Block wasn't on the council 5 years ago. However, he was one of the 4 who voted to keep Rosenthal in. That tells you who the stupid one really is.

Then again Arty has to take care of all his campain promisses! Jonathan, hope you thanked Arty!!

Anonymous said...

This in no way is meant to defend Rosenthal, but what exactly is his job description?

There really doesn't seem to be much development going on in town, nor has there been over the last decade that seems to be attributed to him.

Why do so many people dislike him?

Why did people support him?

Can we get more information on this guy?

Anonymous said...

Another success story for Jonathans resume.

Anonymous said...

Gee only $45,000? That's chump change compared to the normal city employee.

January 29, 2008 4:07 PM: LOL!

January 29, 2008 4:59 PM: LOL!!!

January 29, 2008 5:13 PM LOL!!!!!!

I'm glad people agree with me. The whole scheme was/is a joke and a waste of tax-payer money!!

Anonymous said...

And Alan Weiner want to build a train line in so people can go to that cafe and get their fried-dough and hot dogs without using their dirty autos. And Bob Merrick thinks it's a great idea too!!!