Connecticut

CT restaurant reveals ‘sacrifice’ for special neighbors by closing ‘at its peak.’ And a hope to move

Published

6 months ago

June 19, 2024

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CT restaurant reveals ‘sacrifice’ for special neighbors by closing ‘at its peak.’ And a hope to move

Yes, there are restaurants across Connecticut that are closing because of lagging business or changing tastes.

But in the case of J Restaurant Bar’s closure, they are actually, “on top of our game,” said owner Jordan Dikegoros.

“It’s nice to jump out on top,” he said. “Our business is at its peak, which makes it that much harder.”

They’re jumping out now, for the sake of the children at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, but are also shopping for a new location.

This week the restaurant of 54 years, an “oasis” to hospital visitors and staff-announced their closure for July 3 to make way for a parking garage to serve CCMC, located across the street.

The plan was in place three years ago and Dikegoros said he received a “fair deal” to sell four parcels.

But as closure time draws near, it’s “bittersweet,” not because of potential lost profit, but because of the close connections he’s made with the hospital and families whose children are being treated across the street at the children’s hospital. In addition, plenty of visitors come from Hartford Hospital, also across the street, Dikegoros said.

J Restaurant Bar created outdoor seating during the pandemic.

“It’s so much more than a restaurant,” Dikegoros said. “We’re an oasis for families. “We’re not pushing specials. We’re comforting them by giving them a place to escape reality for half an hour.”

Yes, the casual restaurant has pizza, Italian dishes, steak, seafood, and sandwiches.

But there were also lots of hugs that came with many customers who shared their poignant stories and deepest feelings. Dikegoros said they ate, returned, often with the healed child, and in some cases he’s become personal friends.

John Caezza and his wife, Dianne, of Farmington were at CCMC for two stints, 10 months at a time while their son was being treated.

“I struggle to call it a restaurant because it’s so much more,” John Caezza said. “The community and the city are losing a true gem.”

The Caezzas ate at J Restaurant Bar every night during their stay except Sundays, as the eatery was closed. John Caezza said no matter how hard one tries, there’s no hiding the lanyard hospital pass for returning visitors.

Dikegoros would connect families with one another to share stories, know they weren’t alone; seat them in a quiet spot for privacy if they needed it, listened to stories. In the case of the Caezzas who were there so often, if they were looking for something new on the menu, the restaurant would make anything they wanted, John Caezza said.

As for location, John Caezza said it was comforting to know they could “escape” for an hour or two with their son right across the street.

“It’s just the environment they created,” he said. “My wife and I would have gone insane if it wasn’t for that place. It’s a special place.”

Caezza said that with all the hours spent there he witnessed so many acts of kindness on the restaurant’s part, including donating hundreds of pizzas to the hospital and emergency first responders.

At some point the restaurant even constructed a New Year’s Eve Ball to “drop” for the kids across the street during the holiday.

The restaurant has been in the family for 54 years, open originally as Pizza Plus. The name changed in 2007 and Dikegoros has been running it for 37 years. The “J” in the name is for Jordan.

J Restaurant Bar created extensive outdoor seating and space during the pandemic.

He said they have a great relationship with the hospital, its employees and patient visitors.

Dikegoros said he made a promise years ago to a former CCMC CEO, “When you guys expand I’ll be here for you.”

By selling the properties to LAZ parking for the parking garage, he is making good on that promise.

“We sacrificed for the children’s hospital…They’ve been great neighbors,” he said, noting there was really nowhere else to put the garage that will add 910 spaces.

“As the time is winding down, it’s getting a little emotional,” Dikegoros said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic killed many restaurant businesses, they never closed and the restaurant thrived, Dikegoros said.

Early on in the pandemic they created an outdoor eating area. At the peak they provided individual meals to go for hospital staff funded by donations, including some of their own. The business uptick never stopped, he said.

Dikegoros said they are hoping to reopen on the first floor of the parking garage, but that’s at least two years out until it’s built. They are currently located at 297 Washington St.

Meanwhile, they’ve been shopping for another location in the same Frog Hollow neighborhood as well as in suburbs so they can open sooner.

It could result in two J Restaurant Bar establishments, he said.

Earlier last year, Connecticut Children’s held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $326 million clinical tower, the largest expansion to the hospital since construction began on the current building in 1994.

As part of the expansion, the hospital teamed up with LAZ parking to construct a new parking garage and pedestrian walkway, to accommodate for the increased traffic.

The restaurant announced on Facebook this week that they will have a final full dinner service on June 29. July 1, 2, 3rd will be modified hours and menus.

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Connecticut

CT LIVE!: Connecticut Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker”

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26 minutes ago

December 17, 2024

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CT LIVE!: Connecticut Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker”

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Final Top 10 Connecticut High School Football Rankings (12/16/2024)

Published

8 hours ago

December 17, 2024

Press Room

Final Top 10 Connecticut High School Football Rankings (12/16/2024)

The 2024 Connecticut high school football season is now in the books and now teams prepare for the off-season.

The No. 1 team in the Constitution State continues to be Choate Rosemary Hall School after a strong victory over Brunswick Academy a few weeks ago. New Canaan finishes tops among public schools in the state.

Before all the programs head into basketball season, we have the final complete breakdown of the elite Connecticut high school football teams, as we see them.

Another private school that’s loaded with talent across the board is Choate Rosemary Hall School. The Wild Boars picked up win No. 6, 34-7 over Loomis Chaffee School. Connecticut’s top player per 247Sports resides at Choate Rosemary in 4-star offensive lineman Will Black, who is committed to Notre Dame. Choate Rosemary Hall School takes the top spot after defeating Brunswick Academy, 27-9.

A private school that’s loaded with talent across the board is Brunswick School, with Notre Dame commitment Blake Hebert running the show offensively. He’s got Notre Dame commit Matty Augustine on one side and Syracuse commit Jaylen Pray on the other. The Bruins did lose their first game of the season against Phillips Exeter Academy, 34-26, a few weeks ago. Brunswick Academy drops from the top spot after a 27-9 loss to Choate Rosemary Hall School.

The Beavers opened up the season with a loss, but bounced back with a Week 2 victory over Kent School, 42-6. In Week 3, AOF fell to No. 1 Brunswick Scool, 28-7. They feature one of the state’s most overall talented programs. Avon Old Farms has 3-star offensive tackle Owen Aliciene (Penn State commitment) and 3-star defensive lineman Dante Recker (Maryland commitment) highlighting a very talented roster. Even with a loss to Choate Rosemary Hall School, Avon Old Farms remains secure at the third spot despite dropping a fourth game, this time to Phillips Exeter Academy.

Killingly’s Hayden Allard looks for some running room against New Canaan during the Class L quarterfinals last season. / Jimmy Zanor/Norwich Bulletin / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Rams finished the season winning the state’s Class L state championship game with a 35-21 victory over Darien. New Canaan finishes up what has been an impressive season in which they picked up victories over teams like Ludlowe, Staples and Wilton, respectively.

Greenwich Football/Facebook

After getting shellacked by Staples back on Thanksgiving, 27-0, the Cardinals re-paid the favor to the Wreckers in the state semifinals. Greenwich won 14-0, sending them off to the Class LL state championship game and Tony Marello’s squad won by the same score once again. Greenwich claimed the state’s highest classification championship with another 14-0 win over West Haven.

Back in the rankings and it’s oh so sweet for Steve Christy and his bunch. The Panthers barely edged out Windsor, 24-21, for the Class MM state championship last week behind a strong effort from quarterback Aaron Champagne.

Windsor Football (CT) runs out on the field in the 2024 season / Windsor Football/Facebook

When it comes to the public schools, Windsor has proven to being one of the state’s best. The Warriors’ undefeated run, however, came to a end last week in Windsor’s 24-21 loss to Masuk in the Class MM state championship game.

The Blue Wave saw its season come to a close with a 35-21 loss to New Canaan in the Class L state championship game. Darien had themselves a solid season and were in the conversation all season long to win it all.

Taking Fairfield Prep off this list and standing in their place is the Blue Devils after they handily routed the Jesuits, 42-7. West Haven fell just short of winning it all in Class LL with a 14-0 loss to Greenwich.

Staples Wreckers Football / Staples Wreckers Football official websit

The Wreckers made a valiant effort in attempting to defend their Class LL state championship, but their run came up just short in the state semifinal round. Staples fell, 14-0, to Greenwich last week.

On the bubble: Ansonia, Bunnell, Fairfield Prep, Glastonbury, Killingly, New Britian, Newtown

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveconn

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Connecticut

Hartford mayor reveals list of ‘problem landlords' in the city

Published

16 hours ago

December 16, 2024

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Hartford mayor reveals list of ‘problem landlords' in the city

Putting problem landlords on notice in Hartford. The mayor revealed a list of landlords Monday he says violated the city’s housing code multiple times, including one the city is looking to get prosecuted for dragging their feet on repairs.

“We just want this to be over. It’s been a long four months,” Marisol Navarro, a Concord Hills Apartments tenant, said.

She’s tired of the uncertainty of where she will live next month. Navarro is one of about 30 households still in temporary housing after a fire in August at the Concord Hills Apartments in Hartford.

Navarro and other tenants have been frustrated with their landlord Greyhill Group for delays in repairs to the point they protested in front of their offices in New York City last week. They’ve also pushed Mayor Arunan Arulampalam to take forceful action against the landlord.

“The city makes Greyhill accountable, make them fix the apartments so we can return and go back to our happy place,” Navarro said.

On Monday, Arulamapalam announced the city would seek criminal charges against Greyhill Group through the State’s Attorney’s Office, saying it violated the city’s housing ordinances.

“There will be consequences, there will be accountability, and we will hold you to account,” he said.

The mayor also revealed a list of three out-of-state landlords he said have not been taking care of the buildings or tenants. That includes PAXE properties, which is owned by Aron Puretz of New York.

The city said multiple PAXE properties had to be vacated due to unsafe conditions, with 13 buildings in foreclosure and/or receivership.

The city also said landlord Moshe Grossbard of New York had notices for violating building codes, with liens on multiple properties for unpaid fines.

Finally, Whitehead Estates LLC, owned by Bishop Lamor Whitehead of New Jersey, had 24 units condemned by the city for no heat or water. Whitehead is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence after being convicted on fraud charges.

“If you don’t shape up, we are going to drive you out of the city. We’re going to make it hard for you to do business,” Arulampalam said.

Navarro said it sends a clear message that enough is enough when it comes to treating tenants right.

“Landlords in the state of Connecticut need to know that they cannot play with peoples’ lives,” she said.

Arulampalam also said Greyhill Group threatened to sue him in his personal capacity over comments he made about the dispute over repairs at Concord Hills.

NBC Connecticut reached out to the attorneys representing Greyhill Group for comment, but didn’t hear back.

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