PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After purchasing the former Chameleon's on East Street, Harold Tramazzo had hoped to open the much-anticipated Hangar of Pittsfield this summer.

 

The eyes of many in Pittsfield have been on the building, with people getting excited when the old sign was pulled down, and eagerly waiting for it to open.

 

Trammazzo said on Wednesday that the building needed more work than he anticipated but the renovations are picking up steam and he now hopes for an October opening. 

 

"That building is old and we've had some challenges," Trammazo told the Licensing Board. 

 

Trammazo said he is targeting an Oct. 1 opening date and has the plans in place to get there, with Oct. 15 being the latest he expects it to open. He said the work should be completed by the end of September.

 

The owner of similar restaurants in Amherst and Greenfield said the walls and loading dock are nearly complete, the kitchen is close to having equipment installed, and the furniture is awaiting delivery from a warehouse in Ohio. 

 

Trammazo apologized to the Licensing Board for the renovations taking longer than he originally thought, but the board had no issues with the delay. The board welcomes the business in that building. 

 

"People are anxious that you are coming and they inquired about what is happening," Chairman Carmen Massimiano said. "We look forward to having you."

 

Hangar is a popular eatery, starting first next to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and has since expanded with restaurants in Westfield and Greenfield. The Greenfield one opened just last year. 

 

In a separate section of the city, a new Barcelona Tapas and Bar is progressing toward opening in the former Johnny's Beach Club space on Wahconah Street. Suzanne Chung, a partner with numerous restaurants including Jae's Bistro, and Oscar Amaya are planning to open a Spanish regional tapas restaurant there. Attorney Jeffrey Lynch, who represents the restaurant, said plans will be submitted for a building permit later this month.

 

"Our hope is to open for Memorial Day 2018," Lynch said.

 

The owners of Jae's had been involved in multiple projects in the city recently, including opening Vongs and 7 Winter Grill. 

 

"They invested much time, energy, and effort to bring 7 Winter Street to fruition," Lynch said.

 

Now the company is reviewing its renovation plans and ensuring the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations are followed. Once a building permit is issued, Lynch said construction will last about six months. At the latest, Lynch expects to open in July.

 

In other business, the saga of the Polish Community Club is still ongoing. Stella Spence, club president and license holder, died in 2014 and no formal manager was in place. The club closed at the end of the year.

 

John Kerwood had taken up the reins in trying to get it back up and running but has faced numerous hurdles. He didn't have access to the club's funding and needed to completely reorganize the club's structure to get a loan. But Kerwood struggled to get the paperwork in order on his own. Steve Fillio eventually jumped in to help. Fillio oversaw renovations to the building and eventually agreed to manage the bar.

 

All seemed on track earlier this year to reopen. But the state's Alcohol Beverage Control Commission delayed the issuance of a license. The application ended up having an outdated list of officers and the signatory on the application wasn't authorized with the state to do so.

 

"I had to straighten out three years of stuff," Fillio said. "I'm still not sure what Boston is doing."

 

Fillio has been working with the board's clerk to get everything in line. He had to again be approved by the board to take over management on Wednesday to submit another application to the state.

 

"It has been nothing but a headache," he said.

 

He now hopes the new application has everything in line to receive approval from the ABCC.