North Shore eatery anchors condos

photo Chato, a new restaurant to be built in commercial space at One North Shore, will create new synergy at that location, developer George Bright said. Restaurantgoers will gain more exposure to One North Shore, and condo owners will have a closer location to enjoy a meal.

Chato Brasserie, a new full-service dining establishment, will open in May at One North Shore, according to developer George Bright.

The restaurant, which will fill 4,000 square feet of commercial condo space at the Manufacturers Road development, will offer a seasonal contemporary American menu, featuring locally farmed meats and produce, future proprietor Alex Canale said in a news release.

Bright, who in 2010 sold 32 units at his condo development featuring 203 units, said the addition of an upscale dining establishment an elevator ride away from most of his 102 occupants should enhance the appeal of the remaining condos.

"We had a good year, but we still have plenty of units to sell and this is going to help us, no doubt," Bright said.

He said he can sell 40 condominiums with the extra bump he'll get from Chato.

"People are going to drive by and see people dining outside, enjoying the view and enjoying Renaissance Park, and it's going to attract people to come look at [One North Shore]," Bright said.

The restaurant further bolsters the options available to consumers on Manufacturers Road, which is also home to Greenlife Grocery as well as yoga, fitness, outdoor recreation, art, jewelry, home decor and financial businesses, to name a few.

"The whole area, there are more and more reasons to come to that neighborhood," Bright said. "It's getting to be more of a destination area there in town."

Restaurateur Alex Canale said he and Chris Casteel bring a combined resume that includes experience at Four Seasons Hotels in six cities, Le Cordon Bleu and Johnson & Wales culinary academies and other restaurants.

Chato will hold 120 diners inside with a view of the "showcase kitchen," including 40 to 50 in the bar area, and an additional 45-seat patio, Canale said.

"We're going for a casual-elegant atmosphere," he said. "We have so much natural light that we'll feed of of that."

He will hire 41 employees, he said, when the build-out is completed.

Construction should be at "full speed in mid-February," Bright added.

Once the restaurant is finished in May, One North Shore will have sold 65 percent of its commercial space, he said, and over half of its residential units, including leases to Volkswagen personnel.

"If we can sell three to four units per month, we'll be out of here in a couple and a half years," he said. "Could we do 60 in 2011? I don't know."

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