Ristorante Piccolo, a cozy Italian restaurant in Georgetown that a fire shut down in 2008, has finally announced that it will reopen in the last week of April, Georgetown Metropolitan reports. This is welcome news, since the restaurant’s grand re-opening had been pushed back several times.

Ristorante Piccolo has been renovating ever since a fire in early October of 2008 caused $1 million worth of damage and drew over 110 fire fighters and 50 pieces of fire-fighting equipment.

“Before the fire, the upscale Italian restaurant, which was established in 1986, featured a second-floor balcony overlooking the C & O Canal, hardwood floors, three fireplaces, and a strolling violinist to lend a romantic atmosphere to the dining experience,” the Voice’s Alisha Crovetto wrote.

But initially the owners of Piccolo had ahard  time getting some of their plans for renovation approved by various local government groups.

At a January Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting, ANC Commissioners gave the owner and her mother a hard time about a streetside outdoor dining area. A few months ago, the Old Georgetown Board also rejected designs for the streetside balcony the restaurant had before the fire.

Via Georgetown Metropolitan.

Photo by GM.

Carol Joynt, the former Nathan’s owner who’s ever watchful for Georgetown businesses that are opening or folding, is reporting on her blog that Benetton and Aldo are both doing suspicious “remodeling” that indicates that they’re pulling out of Georgetown. If they indeed close for good, they’ll join a long list of big names that have left Georgetown in the last few months, including Up Against the Wall, Commander Salamander, and American Eagle.

Carol Joynt, who’s well-connected in the Georgetown rumor mill, has also heard that Ristorante Piccolo, a date-night favorite that was finally going to be reopened this year after being routed by a three-alarm fire in 2008, may not reopen after all. They’ve undergone nearly complete rennovations, but they are reported to be having trouble with their insurers. Finally, Joynt reports that a Bloomingdale’s is not completely out of the question for the Shops at Georgetown Park—it’s just on the back burner.

Sigh. At least we’ll have an Apple Store soon…

Plans for the interior of the renovated Georgetown Library

Georgetown Metropolitan has a writeup of all the new and returning restaurants, businesses, and attractions that we can expect to open in Georgetown in 2010. The post, inexplicably entitled “2010: The Year That Will Be,” lists the following as establishments that will open this year:

• Safeway – 1855 Wisconsin Ave – May 2010 – Originally slated to open in March, Social Safeway is supposed to make its grand, green reopening in May. And this one will have gelato, a sushi bar, and a Jamba Juice!

• Apple Store – 1229 Wisconsin Ave – May 2010 – After months of doing battle with the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the Old Georgetown Board, who together rejected four drafts for an Apple Store on Wisconsin Avenue, an Apple Store was approved to build in March. So far, builders have demolished the French Connection building that formerly stood there.

• Georgetown Library – 3260 R Street – Fall 2010 – A new library with superior facilities will replace the old one that burned down in a huge fire in May of 2007.

• Ristorante Piccolo – 1068 31st Street – 2010 – This cozy date spot was ravaged by a fire in October 2008. Armed with plans for new rooftop seating, Ristorante Piccolo is supposed to open any day now.

Georgetown Metropolitan also lists a number of spots which may or may not see change in the coming year. Something may open up in the old Nathan’s restaurant location, possibly a steak frites place and the old Georgetown Theater property is for sale. And Pottery Barn is closing its Georgetown Store, he reports.

The Washington Business Journal has also reported that a new cafe will open in what used to be a gallery space at 1639 Wisconsin Avenue.

Photo from DCLibrary.Org

Ristorante Piccolo after the October 2008 fire

The cozy date night favorite of yesteryear Ristorante Piccolo, which a two-alarm fire virtually destroyed last fall, is set to reopen in 2010 according to We Love DC.

“[A]ccording to a recently displayed banner on the restaurant’s door, the eatery is scheduled to reopen in early 2010. No word yet on final opening date, or on what changes have/will take place to the menu, staff, or decor,” blogger Rebecca writes.

Ristorante Piccolo has been an empty shell since a fire in early October of 2008 caused $1 million worth of damage and drew over 110 fire fighters and 50 pieces of fire-fighting equipment.

“Before the fire, the upscale Italian restaurant, which was established in 1986, featured a second-floor balcony overlooking the C & O Canal, hardwood floors, three fireplaces, and a strolling violinist to lend a romantic atmosphere to the dining experience,” the Voice‘s Alisha Crovetto wrote.

In the intervening months, the restaurateurs who own Piccolo had a rough time getting some of their plans for renovation approved by various local government groups.

At a January Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting, ANC Commissioners gave the owner and her mother a hard time about a streetside outdoor dining area. The Old Georgetown Board also recently rejected designs for the streetside balcony the restaurant sported before.

Via Georgetown Metropolitan

Photo by Will Sommer