The large hotel and residential development approved for the southwest corner of Dunn Street and Stanley Avenue will lead to popular restaurant Zappi’s Pizza and Pasta finding a new home.
Owner Al Zappitelli, who has a lease at 6663 Stanley Ave. until 2025, said he purchased a 0.6-hectare property on nearby McLeod Road, near Alex Avenue and across from Ailanthus Avenue, a few years ago “in preparation for something like this.”
“We’ve got drawings done. We’re permit ready — mechanical, electrical, structural, everything is done, so we really enjoy this (new) location a lot,” he said.
“We had that ready for one day when we have to move out of (the current location at 6663 Stanley Ave.).”
Zappitelli said the business is “secure” at its current location for “another three or four years,” while the new plan for the property takes shape. He said Zappi’s will move once the building starts.
“This company has great plans and all that, but you’ve got to realize, there’s probably 30 zoned plans out there right now,” he said.
“The company has a great reputation of building, but Niagara Falls has a great reputation of getting zoning in place and speculating to build, so we’ll see it one day at a time.”
During its Tuesday night meeting, city council approved a zoning bylaw amendment to permit a 30-storey development consisting of a four-storey podium with a 26-storey hotel tower with 300 guest rooms and two 26-storey residential towers with 583 residential units at the southwest corner of Dunn Street and Stanley Avenue.
The mixed-use project is proposed for 6663, 6671 and 6683 Stanley Ave. and 5640 and 5582 Dunn St.
The applicant, Stanley JV Inc. (Kyle Bittman) also proposes ancillary restaurant and retail uses to the hotel.