A landlord’s unpermitted renovations led to the temporary shutdown of Eat Here, 5315 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
The restaurant announced its closure Feb. 24 with a Facebook post stating, “We will not be open for service this week due to construction in the plaza. We appreciate your understanding and we look forward to get back cooking as soon as possible!”
Eat Here owner Sean Murphy told The Islander March 4 that city building inspectors disconnected gas to the property — disabling his business — after property owner William Keel began unpermitted renovations in another building unit.
The 14,376-square-foot plaza houses Eat Here, the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, the Aqua Aveda Salon and Spa and Beach House Real Estate and Vacation Rentals, which Keel co-owns.
However, Eat Here is the only business that needs gas to operate.
Keel purchased the plaza last November for $2.5 million from Waterline Shoppes LLC, according to the Manatee County Property Appraiser.
Keel’s unpermitted renovations involved removing walls and may have “interfered with” the property’s power and gas utility lines, according to Murphy.
Eran Wasserman, the city’s development services director, told The Islander March 2 that Keel had yet to submit “sufficient” documentation to explain the renovations.
“They need to provide proper details and plans as far as how they are going to satisfy safety issue considerations with reopening,” Wasserman said. “In order to really make any significant progress, we need those details.”
Murphy said he tried working with West Manatee Fire Rescue to reconnect gas to the building but now must submit an updated site plan to the city due to recent changes to the restaurant’s floor plan.
He said he was unsure how long it would be before he could reopen.
“I want to be clear: I don’t want to turn this into a gripe against the city — everybody everywhere is struggling,” Murphy said. “But right now, we’ve been left in a very difficult position.”
In the meantime, Murphy’s restaurant was shut down more than a week into one of the most profitable months for Anna Maria Island businesses.
“I don’t know if people understand how critical it is for a restaurant in Florida to be open in March,” Murphy said. “Every day counts. It’s threatening the survival of my business.”
“Frustrating is an understatement,” he added. “This is excruciating.”
Wasserman said that while Holmes Beach City Hall may be closed to the public due to the novel coronavirus, city staff hadn’t slowed a beat and has made the issue a priority.
“I’ve communicated with the fire marshal, with the building official and city planner to make sure that we all look in a timely manner and provide the proper information to have Eat Here open as soon as possible,” Wasserman said.
Keel did not respond to a March 4 call from The Islander.