The date was May 24, 1998. It was a sunny, breezy day at Weehawken’s Lincoln Harbor, perfect for a wedding celebration. The Chart House Restaurant was packed with happy patrons enjoying a Saturday evening dinner or getting ready to partake in the wedding reception for Mr. and Mrs. Jason Plevas of Morristown. The date was May 24, 1998. It was a sunny, breezy day at Weehawken’s Lincoln Harbor, perfect for a wedding celebration. The Chart House Restaurant was packed with happy patrons enjoying a Saturday evening dinner or getting ready to partake in the wedding reception for Mr. and Mrs. Jason Plevas of Morristown. But then disaster struck. A massive fire ravaged the restaurant. In the matter of minutes, the flames, fueled by the high winds, invaded the picturesque Hudson River setting and burned the restaurant to the ground. The once-glorious eatery was reduced to a pile of charred cinders. Weehawken native John Charlesworth, who was the kitchen manager of the Chart House at the time, vividly remembers the day, although he wasn’t working at the time of the blaze. “Another chef and I were together at the time and heard about the fire on the news,” Charlesworth said. “We came right down and found about 200 people who stood there and watched, like it was their home on fire. It really hurt.” The fire devastated everyone. The newly-married couple never got their reception, more than 200 people were without a job, and the restaurant that had become a staple of the Lincoln Harbor community was gone. “I thought it was over,” said Hans Nielsen, the general manager of the Chart House, who was brought to the site by the parent company from Hawaii. “I never thought it would come back. I went back to California and stayed there for a while. I was devastated.” However, that was two years ago. And like the mythical phoenix that flew from the ashes back to its full glory, so has the Chart House. It has been totally rebuilt – this time with more conventional steel and a concrete base – to the tune of $3 million. It has been built even better than the original, with better sight lines of the majestic Manhattan skyline, featuring a lighthouse structure and complete with a 1,000-watt spotlight that will project clear across the Hudson. About to open The Chart House will officially open to the general public on May 15, but will actually welcome its first patrons two days earlier, when it will try its best to recreate the Plevas’ wedding reception. The pair will renew their vows, with Mayor Richard Turner presiding, and then the reception will follow. “It’s the least we can do for them,” said Nielsen, who has returned to take over his old position. “We want to make the day nice for them.” The new facility, which will have a capacity of 850 patrons between catering rooms and the general restaurant area, should welcome the couple with open arms, with all of its new features and amenities. There is a winding spiral staircase that goes to the top of the lighthouse, a new bar that features the finest of woodwork and brass fixtures, and 14-foot high windows to capture the view. “It brings a zoom lens panoramic view,” Nielsen said. “Everyone who has seen it gives nothing but ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs.’ There were some movies filmed here, but now, I think we’ll get even more. It took a little time, but we really have a great setting again with a lot of spirit. It was well worth the time spent to get it done right.” Nielsen made a promise to the workers when the Chart House was destroyed that he would do everything in his power to bring them back, if and when the restaurant would return. “It was going to be tough to get everybody back,” Nielsen said. “A lot of people moved on, and I can’t blame them. We were able to get a percentage back.” Charlesworth kept his faith in Nielsen. “He promised that he would come and get us, and he did,” said Charlesworth, who has lived his entire life in Weehawken. “Hans was a man of his word. It’s like coming home again. When it burned down, it felt like something died with all of us. We weren’t really sure whether it would ever return. But when I saw the steel frames going up, I kept asking Hans, ‘When are we opening?’ I got the special feeling back again.” So did Christopher Mejia, another Weehawken native who will work as a server at the restaurant. “I used to work here when it was Shanghai Red’s and it’s nothing like it was,” said Mejia, who will work while attending Fairleigh Dickinson to earn his degree in hotel management. “It’s a totally different atmosphere now. The view is intense, something you simply cannot find anywhere else. I’ve worked in a lot of places and nothing can compare to this. We’re all very excited.” Charlesworth can’t wait to begin to serve customers. “It’s been a long time coming,” Charlesworth said. “It’s so great and exciting to be back in this atmosphere once again. Just the view alone is breathtaking. I grew up on the cliffs and perhaps my view of Manhattan was jaded, because I took it for granted. But the first time I saw it from here, it was spectacular. Unless you’re on a boat, you can’t find a better view. We’re back, bigger and better and ready to move.” Nielsen said that the Chart House has changed its menu, focusing more on seafood. And business has been brisk, even before the doors have opened. “The phone rings all day,” Nielsen said. “We’ve already booked more weddings than ever. It’s good to be back.”
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