Despite the Rye Town Park Commission’s refusal to reveal any of the solicitors interested in managing some type of food operation at the park this year, the Review has acquired nine of the 11 proposals.
The respondents submitted offers to operate either one, some or all of the food facilities at the park, following the commission’s request for letters of intent, which was sent out by the commission in December.
According to Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat and president of the commission, he does not plan on releasing any details of the proposals any time soon. “At this time, I’m not sure we’re going to release them,” he said. “It could affect our contract negotiations.”
But the Review has learned that short-term restaurant proposals, which were due by Jan. 12, were submitted by the owners of Longford’s Ice Cream, of Rye; Walter’s Hot Dogs, in Mamaroneck; The Barley House, of Thornwood; Anthony’s NY Hot Dogs & More, of New Rochelle; the LI Sound Restaurant Group, which owns Trevi in the town/village of Harrison; and the owners and operators of Sunset Grille and Valentino’s Cucina of Norwalk, Connecticut.
Additionally, the Spillane’s Restaurant Group—which owns venues throughout Westchester County and New York City, including Molly Spillane’s in Mamaroneck and Mickey Spillane’s in Eastchester—in partnership with COFFEED Corporation, has offered to operate a traditional American restaurant called The Landing. COFFEED is a New York-based group that specializes in artisan coffee that owns 12 venues throughout the metropolitan area and one in Seoul, South Korea.
Homestyle Caterers Inc., which began with Morley’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant in Yonkers, has also submitted a proposal to operate the park’s restaurant. The group manages a number of establishments, including the food services at Yonkers’ Dunwoodie Golf Course, the Putnam National Golf Course in Mahopac, and the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Further, the group manages the food services at the Blue Hill Golf Course in Pearl River, in Rockland County, and owns two Nathan’s fast food franchises.
And there is also a submission from Westchester Food Service and International Snack Bar Company, which operates a handful of municipal venues throughout the county, to serve traditional New England-style food, consisting of salads, wraps, burgers, fish tacos; there’s also an option to operate the restaurant’s beach bar.
As of press time, there are two additional proposals that have been received by the commission, but whose identities have not been confirmed.
The interest in running food services out of Rye Town Park for this season comes in wake of the departure of Seaside Johnnies, the park’s beachfront restaurant overlooking the Long Island Sound which shut down at the end of 2016 after the owners failed to reach a short-term deal with the park commission. Seaside Johnnies had operated seasonally out of the park since 2000.
According to Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a member of the commission, the park commission still has to decide whether the park is better served with a full-time restaurant or a concession-type service for 2017.
“The overriding question is what is the best interim direction for the park and what sets us up best for the long term good of the park and the citizens who enjoy it,” she said.
To aid in finding a short-term solution, the commission announced at its Jan. 17 meeting that it had hired Tracy Lawler from JGL Food Service Consultants at a cost not to exceed $6,000.
Lawler has also been commissioned to plan an extensive search for a long-term licensee beginning in 2018. That search is expected to begin once the commission releases a formal request for proposals.
