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July 11, 2024

After facing eviction, downtown Hartford restaurant closes

The Tavern Downtown's former location at 201 Ann Uccello St., in Hartford.
By Greg Bordonaro

Prime downtown Hartford storefront space has become available following the apparent closure of a restaurant that was tied up in a legal dispute with its landlord.

Space occupied by The Tavern Downtown — at  201 Ann Uccello St., directly across from the XL Center — was emptied out recently. Tables, chairs, booths, games and other property have been removed from the space.

There is no signage indicating the restaurant/bar has closed, and its website is still operational. A phone call to the restaurant was forwarded to an automated voicemail system that is full and unable to take messages.

However, court filings show the restaurant was facing an eviction lawsuit from its landlord. 

The restaurant is on the ground floor of a mixed-use apartment building, known as “The Grand on Ann,” that was sold in February for $3.9 million. 

The new owner is Ann Uccello Apartments LLC, which is controlled by Quay Wallace Watkins of Stamford. 

In April, Ann Uccello Apartments LLC filed a lawsuit against the restaurant and the Hub Restaurant Group LLC, claiming the tenant failed to pay its monthly $9,000 rent on March 1, 2024 and April 1, 2024. The landlord said it wanted the restaurant to vacate the premises on or before April 21. 

That didn’t happen.

On May 22, a Superior Court judge signed off on the right of the landlord to evict the restaurant. 

A stipulation agreement that was filed in the court record on June 10 said the parties agreed “no physical execution and moveout will take place prior to June 30, 2024,” and that the landlord would keep the $10,000 security deposit. 

The restaurant also agreed to “leave the full kitchen equipment,” once it vacated the premises. 

The Tavern occupied 6,952 square feet of space in the building, including 4,766 square feet on the ground floor and 2,186 square feet of lower-level space, court records said. 

The Tavern’s liquor license was issued to Stephen Charles Leighton Jr. and was backed by The Hub Restaurant Group LLC, which is controlled by Jerry Fornarelli, a well-known operator of downtown Hartford restaurants and bars. 

Fornarelli previously owned the Russian Lady bar in downtown Hartford, before it was taken over by new ownership in May. 

The Russian Lady voluntarily shut down in November after an altercation between security guards and a patron. After a brief reopening, there was a shooting outside the venue in December.

Attempts to contact Watkins for comment were unsuccessful.

The Tavern Downtown was a casual restaurant/bar that served American fare. 

Downtown Hartford has experienced significant retail vacancies coming out of the pandemic, but efforts have been made, particularly through the Hart Lift program, to fill empty storefronts. 

The Hart Lift program provides matching grants of up to $150,000 to property owners to offset the costs of preparing first-floor retail spaces for new shops and restaurants. It’s been particularly effective in helping fill empty storefronts on Pratt Street.
 

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