Early plans are in the works to rebuild the Ocean View Restaurant in Oak Bluffs, with the addition of apartments for working Islanders.
Early plans are in the works to rebuild the Ocean View Restaurant in Oak Bluffs, with the addition of apartments for working Islanders.
Speaking to the Gazette by phone last week, property owner Charles Hajjar described the concept plan to rebuild a restaurant on the site along with 10 one-bedroom apartments split between a second and third floor.
The popular year-round family restaurant at 16 Chapman avenue was destroyed by fire in March 2022. Since then the site has sat vacant. No formal plans have been filed yet. But Mr. Hajjar said he hopes to have them ready for town boards and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission soon, with an eye toward a possible completion date by the fall of 2024.
Immediately after the fire, restaurant owner Mike Santoro vowed to rebuild as quickly as possible. Last week Mr. Hajjar, a businessman and real estate developer who owns numerous properties on the Island including a string of boutique hotels in Edgartown, reiterated the commitment. “We’re moving as fast as we possibly can,” he said.
Mr. Hajjar said in addition to rebuilding the beloved restaurant, he wants to build housing for working Vineyarders. He noted explicitly that the housing would not be for short-term rentals.
“We know there’s a dire need for more housing on the Island,” he said. “It’s going to be targeted toward people working year-round jobs on the Island and to not be out of their price range.”
In January Mr. Hajjar gained approval from the Oak Bluffs wastewater commission for enough flow to handle a 148-seat restaurant — slightly smaller than the previous eatery — and 10 one-bedroom apartments.
Mr. Santoro, who leases the property from Mr. Hajjar for his restaurant, called the outlook promising. “I’m excited,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have a brand new place.”
Comments
I love the Oceanview and the
RobbyK Oak BluffsI love the Oceanview and the surrounding neighborhood and can't wait to see what Mr. Santoro and staff do with this iconic location. I do caution the town of Oak Bluffs on housing though. 1 bedroom housing, could mean multiple family members in that one bedroom, many new children in school, drain on public services and very little income coming into the town. If you saturate the island with low income housing, the island loses its identity. Just my 2 cents. Thanks!
I think Robby K is out of
Former Islander and year round employee OBI think Robby K is out of touch with the need for affordable employee housing. There is such a need for all the employees that keep the Island going for an affordable place to live when so much of the Vineyard is out of sight with ridiculous prices. Good for Mr. Hajjar and Mr. Santoro to try and help this cause.
You clearly don’t understand
KarenYou clearly don’t understand the housing crisis for current island residents and the fact that individuals who have lived on island their whole lives have to move because they can’t find affordable housing. But please, continue on with your fear of “saturation” and “drain on public services.”
I think this affordable
Tim OBI think this affordable housing thing is out of control. Yes, we need more but how much more? When does ur stop? More taxes to support the cause? I would love to live in Wellesley, Ma and send my kids to school there. But I can’t afford it.
Uh, Tim -- this is a private
Casey OBUh, Tim -- this is a private project. What are the "More taxes" you are referring to?
Why can't we all just get
Robert Townsend Rudolph KatamaWhy can't we all just get along..
If you can afford to live on
Sarah S Off islandIf you can afford to live on Martha’s Vineyard, you can afford to live in Wellesley!
Exactly as it should be. The
Business 101Exactly as it should be. The two people involved have massive amounts of employees. Housing should be created by the businesses that reap the profits of the employees. Nice to see these guys doing the right thing, sharing some of their massive profits. The question in our community isn’t how does the community create more housing. The question is when will we hold the individual business owners that hire employees accountable? If a house cleaner turns over 50 houses with employees it should be expected their rate supports their employees. The towns need to build housing to support teachers and public safety etc as they don’t qualify for affordable anyway. Next time you hear someone carrying on about housing for the teachers or hospital workers ask them how many of those professions live in what percentage of affordable housing units that already exist.
Everything that Mr. Hajjar
Paul Iantosca. ChilmakEverything that Mr. Hajjar has touched has turned into a beautifully restored building with happy employees and adding additional income to the towns from higher taxes.
We need more people like that Hajjar’s to build working housing for people that are in dire need on the island. I trust that the building will be beautifully designed to look like it was always there provide badly needed housing for 10 people. The new Oceanview Restaurant will be welcomed by all of us .
I'm encouraged by the
Chris OBI'm encouraged by the possible plans, and even pleasantly surprised at the approval by wastewater when other new businesses get such a hard time.
We need new housing for year-round residents. The crisis is real and teachers and even physicians are either leaving or bypassing openings because they cannot to live here so the Island residents suffer. If we're being really we saw pressure on the resources when so many with second homes on MV sought refuge and flooded the schools during Covid and lifelong residents were being forced out due to rising taxes and rents. Now it's because may sell to cash in raising home values even higher.
So it's disheartening to see people against this plan for employees who need it. We have very few low-income housing properties on the island. The latest was Kuehn's Way, and another in the works - which can take years to attain property and build. Some of these comments make it sound like we have high-rises everywhere of low-income housing and that the tenants are worth less. They are likely the people who are serving you at dinner, at your banks, at the hospital, in the schools and more.
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