D'Amico Cucina closing - The Business Review (Albany):

yzirapogyg.wordpress.com
The Italian restaurant has been in the Twin Citiesz for22 years. The restaurant is located in the Butlefr Square building at100 N. Sixthu Street, next to the in downtowmn Minneapolis. Minneapolis-based , which owns the blamed several factors forthe restaurant’s “The new [ ] stadium, the economy and various traffic and parking issuesd — and the long-terkm viability of higher-end restaurant concepts led us to proactively close Cucina at this said D’Amico president and co-founder, Richard D’Amico, in a presds release. The restaurant is only a blockk west ofthe under-construction Minnesota Twins’ ballparki that will open 2010.
D’Amico told the Star Tribune newspape thathe didn’t think people woulcd want to eat at a fine restauran and then go to a basebal l game. The restaurant employed abour 26 workers, one-quarter of whom have been absorbedr byother D'Amico restaurant businesses. “Ww are currently actively working on additional Italia n conceptsand locations. We hope to re-hire stafft in the coming months.” D’Amicop & Partners owns and operates 24 restaurants and catering locationsz in Minneapolisand Florida, including the Italian-themed the modernist chophouse Cafe and Bar Lucat, the casuak eateries D’Amico & Sons and the upscale-Mexican restaurantt Masa.
Brian Burg, general manager of Butler Square for Northmarq RealEstate Services, said that Northmarq only learned of the restaurant'ws closure this week. He declined to say when D'Amico'e lease for the 8,660-square-foot restaurant expires or if Northmara plans to put the space up forleasew soon. "We are working through these mattereswith D'Amico," Burg said. He added that "the closingy of a great restaurant is a sad but we know that Butleer Square and the Cucina location are ideally locatec to benefit from the new and dynamic changes that are occurrinf in theWarehouse