Hitting 90% Occupancy—

Highland Plaza Will Host Hibachi Grill, CPA Firm, Retail Store

By John Voket

Michael Breede, a Ridgefield developer, attorney, and principal investor in the Highland Plaza at the site of the old Fireside Inn on South Main Street, told The Bee the first of two buildings slated for the site will hit 90 percent occupancy soon.

And that bodes well for the construction and completion of a second building on the property by next fall.

In the coming weeks, he said a Japanese hibachi grill and bistro will open in the front section of the building; the financial services firm of Nanavaty, Nanavaty and Davenport will relocate to the center; and a retail storefront enterprise is planned for most of the rest of the remaining space.

Mr Breede said details about the retail operation will be forthcoming, and believes the new tenant “probably isn’t ready to announce yet.”

According to building permits filed recently, the Pacific Asian Bistro & Hibachi restaurant will occupy nearly 6,000 square feet of space. The principal contact for that business is CCT Restaurant, Inc, and Bao Sua Chen.

The plaza owner said the Chen family has been in the restaurant business for decades and operates the popular Tiger Bowl in Westport.

“There will be a sushi bar, a cocktail lounge area, six hibachi-style grill tables, as well as freestanding tables and private booths,” Mr Breede said of the floor plan. “There will be between 90 and 120 seats.”

He said the operation will feature all brand-new kitchen and facility equipment, and beginning in the spring, outside dining on the front patio.

“They’re shooting for a late February, early March opening — it’s really going to be gorgeous,” Mr Breede said, adding that Paul Foschi has played a key role in the current developments at the plaza.

The CPA firm, which is expected to take occupancy in the next few weeks, will feature an eight-office suite, which was reconfigured from an original 2,000-square-foot space to more than 3,800 square feet, Mr Breede said.

“They will also have a lunch room, a conference room, a fax/copy suite and plenty of storage,” he said. “It was designed to be a high-class new home for the firm.”

While not divulging the tenant’s identity, Mr Breede said the retail space will occupy more than 5,000 square feet, and “will complement the Snap Fitness gym at the site.” He expects that lease to be finalized by March 1.

Between the incoming tenants, and the existing health club, Highland Self Storage, and lab space for an artificial wetlands study his company is supporting at the site to manage storm water runoff, the building will be nearly full. This will precipitate development of an additional 2,900 square feet of space on an existing pad already installed at the plaza.

“I hope to commence that building in March, and have a tenant or tenants occupying the space by October [2010],” Mr Breede said.