Published: August 21, 2006 02:13 pm      

Tavern takeover?

The prospective tavern owner has had his say, and historians have chimed in, as well.

But the public needs to share their opinions on the Homestead Tavern project, City of Tonawanda Mayor Ron Pilozzi said.

The Homestead Tavern project, which was just introduced to the City of Tonawanda Common Council last Tuesday night, includes turning the Long Homestead into a historic restaurant.

The restaurant would serve Tonawanda Beer and North Tonawanda Ale to visitors along the Erie Canal on East Niagara Street.

Steven Patrick, a City of Tonawanda native, wants to model the restaurant after other successful historic restaurants, he said.

Restaurants have been run out of Long Homestead throughout the years. From 1943 to 1970, Jay’s Long Cabin was operated by Eleanor and Jareod Tiffany. It later became The Old Log Cabin, and was operated by Patrick’s wife’s grandparents, Walter and Hazel Slattery, before the city purchased the building in 1976.

“It’s too early,” Pilozzi said. “A lot of things have to be looked at. A lot of public input is needed.”

The idea is intriguing to Pilozzi, but he wants to be sure it’s a viable business enterprise, he said. He wants to know that Patrick can make it work.

“If somebody is coming up with a proposal, we owe it to the people to at least look at it,” Pilozzi said.

However, Pilozzi’s gut instinct tells him people will want to keep Long Homestead the way it is, strictly as a historical site.

Vice President of the Historical Society of the Tonawandas Dick Dutton is concerned that the mayor and common council don’t know what they have at the homestead. It’s the only historical site in the city open for tourism, Dutton said.

Too much work has gone into the site to change it into a restaurant, Dutton said.

“It’ll be a tremendous slap in the face to the people who have found cheer through the years making the Homestead what it is,” Dutton said. “If the restaurant doesn’t work, then what?”

Patrick insists he wants to incorporate the history of the city into the restaurant. He wants to play up the connection to the Erie Canal and Benjamin Long, he said. Benjamin Long began building the house in 1829.

There are other buildings in the city where a tavern could be built, Dutton said.

But Patrick is set on the location. He spoke of the successes of other historic restaurants, including The Eagle House in Williamsville and Fraunces Tavern in New York City.

“I don’t want to just be in a random building,” Patrick said. “The historical aspect really makes it work.”

Dutton estimates Long Homestead gets about 25 to 30 visitors each week. The homestead is open from 1 to 4 p.m., Sundays, May through October.

Patrick sees the chance to do something much bigger, especially with boaters and canal concert-goers.

“Boaters are dying for some place to go,” Patrick said. “They’re dying for it.”

Before any city land is sold, it usually goes to public auction, City Attorney Ron Trabucco said. However, there are exceptions.

There could be many complicated issues with the use of the building as a tavern, Trabucco said. Since Long Homestead received federal and state funding, there may be restrictions on what the building can be used for in the future.

“There might be a win-win situation for everybody here,” Pilozzi said. “We don’t know. The art of compromise will come into it.”

Contact Phil Dzikiy at 693-1000, Ext. 114.