When many people think about Hoboken, one of the first images that comes to mind is the 105-year-old Clam Broth House, with its neon-lit finger pointing to the front door. While the historic restaurant near the waterfront was torn down earlier this year because it was unstable, there was uncertainty about what would replace it.
Danny Tattoli, who comes from a longtime Hoboken family, is in contract to buy both the property and the liquor license. According to Tattoli’s attorney Stephen Spector, they expect to close on the property by September. He bought the property from Arthur Peleaz and his wife Christina who have owned the building for about the past 30 years.
It has not been disclosed how many clams were shelled out for the building.
Tattoli is also in contract to lease the Clam Broth liquor license, signage, and restaurant name from businessmen Michael Acciardi and Reinaldo Becerra.
Tattoli has pledged to reopen the restaurant and restore and attach the famous neon sign of a finger pointing.
About the owner
Tattoli’s family emigrated from Italy to Hoboken in 1971. He has fond memories of the Clam Broth House from growing up, and he said during an interview Thursday that it’s important to retain the historic lineage of the property.
“My goal is to get [the restaurant] back to the way it was 15 or 20 years ago,” Tattoli said. He said that for the last decade, the space has essentially been a series of bars, and the restaurant element and atmosphere has been mostly lost.
“I remember how it was when I was growing up, and that’s what we want,” he said.
Over the past two decades, Tattoli has built over 30 different projects in Hoboken, and is currently the landlord for over 100 units of housing in the city, he said.
When completed, the tri-level restaurant will be 9,000 square feet, which is exceptionally large for a Hoboken restaurant. Tattoli said it will be the largest restaurant space in Hoboken. The new restaurant will have space to hold event receptions, something that is rare in the mile-square city. Tattoli said that his desire to buy the property isn’t just a business decision, but that he cares about the historic nature.
Some controversy over approval
There has been some controversy over the Zoning Board’s May 24 approval of the restoration of the building.
Some members of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission and the public believe that the roof isn’t appropriate for the rebuilt Clam Broth House.
On floors six and seven there are plans for a tall French Second Empire-style mansard roof (see photo). This was a popular Victorian style just before the turn of the century, with a distinctive double sloped roof and multiple dormers. The roof would be slate with cooper features and wrought iron cresting.
It is the mansard roof that the commissioners don’t like, saying it isn’t appropriate.
According to the wording of the Zoning Board approval, the developer has to go back before the Historic Preservation Commission so that the board can review the façade and material.
Meanwhile, the approved building would rise seven stories. The bottom two will house the Clam Broth House Restaurant, which will be re-opened. The neon finger will be restored and attached to the building façade.
The third and fourth floors will be office space, and the fifth through seventh floors will be eight apartment units.
The property is zoned for only five stories, so the applicant had to ask for variances for height and density, which were given May 24.
The bottom five stories will be of an Italian style, with a large window and a typical Hoboken cornice.
Restoration almost didn’t happen
Just a year ago, the future of the property was very much in doubt. The building’s liquor license and trademark sign were owned by one individual; the property was owned by another.
The two were embroiled in what was an acrimonious lawsuit over the stability of the building. There was even a possibly that the Clam Broth Restaurant might have moved outside of Hoboken, a fate unthinkable for many longtime residents.
The situation became so convoluted that the city had to intervene and assist in the negotiations. Even when Tattoli came forward as a prospective buyer, the situation was still difficult, said Mayor David Roberts.
“The prospects of redevelopment seemed bleak even as a third party offered to redevelop the site,” said Roberts, who personally took part in the negotiations. “Not wanting to see such a venerable location lay fallow, I was able to use the office of the mayor to establish a mutually acceptable resolution which brought all parties together.”
Design might change
Both the developer and Roberts have said on the record that they are willing discuss changing the design in order to compromise with the Historic Preservation Commission.
“We will invite the historic board to assist in a redesign,” Roberts said, “and we believe that there will be a basis for compromise. I believe that we will have a design that is a little more palatable to the board.”
Roberts added that he has talked to the owner about possible changes.
“I have encouraged the present owner to modify his design of the project and, after several meetings, I am optimistic that we will see a concept that more accurately portrays the former structure, and that will include a first-class restaurant, modern residence and the return of the historic Clam Broth House sign,” Roberts said.
Spector said that his client is willing to discuss the design, so that they do what is best for the community.
“We’re not wed to any single design,” Spector said. He said that this is an interesting project because the Clam Broth House has lived through so many different styles and periods. He added that the current plan would be representative of the types of buildings that were present during the turn of the century.
“The design in matches the types of buildings that existed around then,” Spector said. “The real debate is what historic period should be picked.”
For example, he said, the current plans call for a large balcony on the building’s second level. The balcony would be in the same place where President Woodrow Wilson occasionally bade farewell to troops as they boarded the boats, and he greeted them when they came home. Eventually, that balcony had to be torn down so that that a fire escape could be attached to the front of the building.
“Right now, it’s just a flat, dull building,” he said. “We have an opportunity to do something very special with this historic property.”
Historic Preservation Commission Chairperson Theresa Castellano said Tuesday that she looks forward to having the developers come before the board to discuss the building’s design.
“The resolution says that they have to come before us to review the façade and material, and we are confident that is going to happen,” said Castellano. The board and the developer are still in the process of scheduling a meeting, but it will likely happen in the second half of August.
Helen Manogue of the Quality of Life Coalition said that it’s important to get the Clam Broth house architecture right.
“If people from other places know only one or two things about the city,” Manogue said, “they know Frank Sinatra came from here and The Clam Broth House.”
She added that the building itself contributed to the distinctive architectural appearance of the city’s historic district.
“It is time to replace it with a design that is sensitive to the historic importance of the district,” Manogue said.