Plans for a new building on the site of the former Burger King at 632 University Ave. may still be uncertain, but possible tenants are already vying for space at the site.
The Radical Rye, 231 State St., Pizza Hut, 662 State St., and The Fruit Stand on Library Mall are all considering a move to University Avenue. The proposed building would be a four-story complex, with a bottom floor for retail and three floors of housing, developer Harold Langhammer told The Capital Times last year.
According to Karl Armstrong, owner of Radical Rye, his restaurant must close March 1, 2004 to make way for Overture Center construction. He said due to rising State Street rent and a need to expand his restaurant, he is considering the new building as one of many possible relocation sites.
\I'm not going to be working just to pay the rent,"" he said. ""I and the fellow that runs the fresh fruit stand on the mall ... he wants to go indoors and have a health food store and the Radical Rye,"" he said.
Armstrong added that while he does not know the current state of the building plan, he expects Langhammer to choose tenants in the next few months.
Langhammer declined comment on the project Tuesday. He said it is too early in the stages of development for final decisions.
""We have a project, but we don't have any cranes going up yet,"" he said. ""So I'm not in a position to lease any space at this time.""
Eric Roang, who runs The Fruit Stand, said he did not know whether he would get a space in the new building, but he has always wanted to have an indoor store so he could run his business in the winter.
""For 20 years I've wanted to move to a 12-month location,"" he said.
But other stores also want space in the building. Tom Duane, assistant manager of Pizza Hut, 662 State St., said it is a good possibility that his store would move to the site because Langhammer owns both buildings.
In the meantime, Armstrong, Roang and other prospective tenants will continue looking for new places for their businesses.
""If anybody has a place for us to move into, I'd love to hear about it,"" said Armstrong.
