D'Amico Cucina closing - The Business Review (Albany):

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The Italian restaurant has been in the Twin Citiee for22 years. The restaurant is locate d in the Butler Square building at100 N. Sixth next to the in downtown Minneapolis. Minneapolis-based , whicg owns the restaurant, blamed severaol factors for the restaurant’s closure. “Th new [ ] stadium, the economyt and various traffic and parkingissues — and the long-tern viability of higher-end restaurant concepts — led us to proactivelh close Cucina at this time,” said D’Amico presidentr and co-founder, Richard D’Amico, in a presw release. The restaurant is only a block west ofthe under-constructio n Minnesota Twins’ ballpark that will open 2010.
D’Amicpo told the Star Tribunw newspaper thathe didn’t think peopled would want to eat at a fine restauranrt and then go to a basebal l game. The restaurant employed about 26 one-quarter of whom have been absorbed byothert D'Amico restaurant businesses. “We are currently actively workinh on additional Italian conceptsand locations. We hope to re-hirr staff in the coming months.” D’Amico & Partners owns and operates 24 restaurants and catering locationd in Minneapolisand Florida, including the Italian-themecd Campiello, the modernist chophouse Cafe and Bar Lucat, the casuapl eateries D’Amico & Sons and the upscale-Mexican restaurant Masa.
Brian Burg, general manager of Butlef Square for Northmarq RealEstate Services, said that Northmarq only learnedx of the restaurant's closure this week. He declinec to say when D'Amico's lease for the 8,660-square-foot restaurant expires or if Northmarq planss to put the space up forleasr soon. "We are working through these matterdswith D'Amico," Burg said. He added that "th e closing of a great restaurant is a sad but we know that Butler Square and the Cucinaz location are ideally located to benefit from the new and dynamif changes that are occurring in theWarehouse District.
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