Popular Mystic restaurant could move to new building
Mystic — Attorney George Kanabis, whose family owns Bravo Bravo restaurant and property at 17-19 East Main St., told the Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night that the popular restaurant would move across the street into a new building on the site if his family cannot reach a new lease agreement with the owners of the Whaler’s Inn, where it is now located.
The revelation came as the commission held a public hearing on an application by KAC Realty for a special use permit to construct a 7,500-square-foot building to house a restaurant and two second-floor apartments on the empty lot at 17-19 East Main St. The building would sit along the sidewalk.
KAC’s principal is Kanabis’ daughter Angela, who runs Bravo Bravo and Red 36 on nearby Washington Street.
Kanabis told the commission that his family is in “amicable negotiations” with the new owners of the inn, who he said have their own views on how the property should be used. Bravo Bravo has been located there since 1991.
“We’re trying to work something out with them," he said, but could not tell the commission when the negotiations may be complete.
If the two parties can reach agreement for Bravo Bravo to remain in its current location, Kanabis said the new building would contain retail space on the first floor and apartments upstairs.
The commission, which has questions about parking and engineering issues, continued the hearing until Sept. 5.
During the hearing, Jackson Avenue resident Paul Sartor pointed out that the site has nothing on it now and the owners should be held to the letter of the regulations concerning parking. KAC is seeking a reduction in required parking spaces that the zoning regulations allow the commission to grant.
“Please do what you can. Don’t just let them get by because they’re nice people and they have a nice restaurant,” Sartor said, pointing out the existing shortage of downtown parking.
Also on Tuesday night, the commission quickly approved a special use permit for Mystic Depot Roasters, a coffee shop/cafe located in the Mystic train station, to add 53 additional seats, all but nine of which will be outdoors.
Owner David Crompton told the commission that the expansion will provide needed seating space for people waiting for trains. As for concerns about parking for Amtrak train passengers, he added that most of them are dropped off or picked up.
The approval comes at the same time that the Town of Stonington is applying for a $300,000 state grant to develop a master plan for the Mystic train station, with the possibility of creating additional parking behind the Mystic Fire Department.
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