Business

Hearing on proposed Claudio’s changes postponed

A large crowd turned out to speak on the proposed changes to the Claudio’s restaurant complex at a Greenport Village Planning Board meeting Thursday, but the public hearing was postponed.

Planning Board chair Mary Given said the hearing must be re-noticed and will be rescheduled, but no new date has been set.

According to a village attorney, the Jan. 3 hearing was scheduled before the village Historic Preservation Commission and State Environmental Quality Review Act reviews of the proposal were completed.

Ms. Given said the board wanted to “follow the correct procedure,” in holding a public hearing after the Historic Preservation Commission and SEQRA had a chance to comment on the proposal.

PWIB Claudio’s Management, the company that bought the iconic Claudio’s property in March, has proposed a number of changes to the properties, which include Claudio’s Restaurant, Crabby Jerry’s and Claudio’s Clam Bar.

The new owners are seeking to make the property more “family friendly” by adding green space and additional outdoor seating.

The plans include 114 new outdoor seats at Claudio’s and 52 at the Clam Bar.

Stephen Loffredo of Seasoned Hospitality in Manhattan, who has been hired to operate the restaurants as one entity, also proposed a consolidated garbage dumping area, landscaping and plans to replace a pop-up pizza store added to the property last year with a “shirt shack” selling Claudio’s merchandise.

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Photo caption: Claudio’s management is hoping to add more green space for the restaurants. (Tara Smith photo)