Editor's note: This version corrects spelling of Kodama's first name.

Stonington — Well-known local restaurateur Jon Kodama will reopen the former Skipper’s Dock location in the borough in mid-May as the Jetty Grille.

Bill Griffin, who owns the Inn at Stonington and the adjacent Skipper’s Dock property, confirmed today that Kodama would be leasing the building from him.

Kodama owns the popular Steak Loft, Go Fish and Ten Clams restaurants in Olde Mistick Village. He also owns the Dock and Dine in Old Saybrook, which is closed for storm repairs.

“I think Jon will be terrific. He has such a great reputation,” said Griffin. “He knows the area. He knows the community and he’s proven he’s really good at what he does.”

Kodama said the fact the restaurant is right on Stonington Harbor made it attractive.

“We like being on the water,” he said. “I’ve always been a fan of the spot, back to when it was Sandy's in the early '70s.”

He said he plans “a casual, contemporary seafood restaurant, not an upscale fancy place.” He said he is targeting a mid-May opening and plans to employ about 70 people. Plans are to run the restaurant year-round but he said a month or so closure in the winter could be possible.

The Jetty Grille will replace Swooner, which opened last May after extensive renovations but lasted just five months before closing in October. Its owner, Jeff Gimmel, has run the award-winning Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson, N.Y., since 2004. Social media reviews of the Stonington restaurant were mixed and, in some cases, critical — especially with regards to its service.

Since the closure, Griffin has had conversations with a number of potential operators before reaching an agreement with Kodama.

The iconic Skipper’s Dock, which was known as much for its spectacular views of Stonington Harbor as its French-inspired seafood menu, first opened in 1986. Its owners, longtime local restaurateur Ainslie Turner and her son, Alex, learned in 2013 that their lease would not be renewed. Ainslie Turner had run Skipper’s from 1986 to 1990 and from 2000 to 2013.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas