PIATTO SAYS "BUON GIORNO" TO DOWNTOWN

An 84-year old downtown building that until 1998 served as an operating branch bank opened for business today as Akron’s newest restaurant. Mayor Don Plusquellic helped open Piatto, the latest venture from restaurateur Diane Robinson and Chef Roger Thomas at a morning news conference.
Piatto, which in Italian means plate, is a fine dining establishment specializing in authentic Italian cuisine.  It will be located on the first floor at 326 South Main Street and include a patio dining area on the concourse adjacent to Canal Park stadium.The second and third floors will feature two atriums and luxury office suites. The restaurant will accommodate 180 in the main dining area, with a private room on the lower level for parties of up to 60 patrons. The patio seats from 30-40 customers. Chef Roger	Mayor Don Plusquellic and owners Diane Robinson and Roger Thomas at the opening of Piatto, downtown Akron’s newest restaurant.     (click to enlarge)
Thomas describes the décor as a sleek, 1940s Moderne style to fit with the era in which the building’s first major renovation was performed.

Next door to Canal Park and most recently home to Charter One Bank, the building was constructed in 1916. There was a major remodeling of the property in the late 1940s and early 1950s when a three-story addition was constructed bringing interior space to 26,200 square feet over three floors and a partial basement. The bank infrastructure remains with vaults on the main floor and in the basement.

The City of Akron acquired the Charter One Bank building as part of the Canal Park project in 1998 and in 1999 sold it to developer Jeffrey O’Neil. O’Neil is also owner of half a dozen other downtown properties including the Masonic Temple building, which is undergoing a significant restoration at High and Mill streets.

Thomas, whose previous experience includes seven years at Ken Stewart’s and ownership of the restaurant known as 1680, in the Merriman Valley, said today, "This is a most ambitious endeavor, but Diane and I are excited to be able to bring this type of cuisine and elegant atmosphere to Akron."

Diane Robinson created the restaurant Treva at the corner of South Main and Exchange streets. She recently sold Treva to concentrate her efforts on Piatto.

Mayor Plusquellic thanked Robinson, Thomas and O’Neil for preserving another building from an important era in downtown Akron history. The mayor said, "Thanks to people such as Jeff O’Neil, developer Tony Troppe and others we have saved and rejuvenated dozens of buildings that are landmarks in our community. These projects bring a special kind of excitement to Akron, especially for those of us who have been around long enough to remember them as part of a bustling downtown. Now they will be once again."

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