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Sandra Lopez Nieves and Joseph Bevilacqua of Vermont, with chef Chris Bonnivier of Adams, took over Desperados on Eagle Street in September.

Desperados in North Adams to Close

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — After opening under new management in September, Desperados will soon be closed. 

 

A post on the restaurant's Facebook page cited financial difficulties for the closure.

 

Chris Bonnivier of Adams and his partners Sandra Lopez Nieves and Joseph Bevilacqua took over the Eagle Street restaurant from Pete Oleskewicz, who owned it for the previous five years. The restaurant was originally opened by David Atwell who sold it to Oleskewicz.

 

"Unfortunately due to the lack of business even through the 'busiest months' of the year we are having to quickly close," the post said. "After also receiving several notices that all of the furniture fixtures and equipment are on potential repossession from both the state and private vendors it just seems that there are far too many financial obstacles that have been bestowed on us to overcome at this present moment."

 

In November, License Commission told the restaurant it would have to reapply for a new license after Oleskewicz surrendered it to the commission. Commissioner Rosemari Dickinson said the property no longer had a valid license, and the liquor in the restaurant had to be sold or removed. 

 

The Facebook post thanked those who supported the restaurant under new ownership and said Oleskewicz would honor gift certificates from when he was owner of Desperados at his other restaurant, Miss Adams Diner. A follow-up post said to send a direct message for a refund. 

 

"We truly thank those of you that loved and supported us. Please we respectfully ask to keep the negative comments away," the post said.

 

Update on Dec. 28: This story has been updated to clarify that Miss Adams Diner is only accepting gift certificates from when Oleskewicz was owner of Desperados.


 


Tags: closure,   restaurant,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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