Ampersand Grand Opening Party

Ampersand's grand opening party begins Thursday Jan 16. It's located in the newly remodeled space where Whiskey formerly was located. 100 North Arlington in Arlington Towers. Click the title for the flyer and more info!

Themed Lectures at Daughters Cafe

Did you know Daughters Cafe downtown has amazing themed lecture dinners? The first this month is Friday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. "Shackleton," a story of courage and leadership will be shared as Daughters Cafe serves a typical English farewell dinner. Reservations required. Email barb@daughterscafe or leave a message at 324-3447

New Murals in Midtown Showcase Art

Marmot Properties recently commissioned artist Eric Burke to paint a mural on their garage doors facing the alley between Sinclair and Center Streets. It's the latest of many murals painted by Burke in Midtown. This one is titled "Flight of the Bumblebee."

I'm a huge fan or murals as a visual way to enhance the neighborhood, and it also deters graffiti.

Beaujolais Bistro Opens - Sneak Peek!

Beaujolais Bistro, located at 735 Riverside Drive, had their grand opening for friends and family last night, and I stopped by to say hi and support my pal James, front-of-house manager. Check out the photos!

Sticks Project Progresses in Midtown

Two new buildings popping up at the Sticks project. Check out the photos!

Corner Craft - The Smallest Gallery Ever?

Have you stopped by Corner Craft yet? It's a new craft/gallery located on the corner of Moran and Center Streets, across street from Midtown Fitness. It's not only a gallery/studio, but a problem solving center. 'Corner Craft' is the Studio/Store of artist Chris Wyatt Scott, offering custom design services and an eclectic selection of Art, handmade furniture, lighting, clothing, jewelry and much more.
Other services: Brainstorming/Problem Solving for any topic or project, Window Dressing and Set Design, Sign Painting, and Re-Purpose Consulting.

New Project in Northwest Reno

Ok well it's not downtown or in MidTown but it's large enough to report on regardless. As you know I occasionally spotlight new developments outside of the Reno core (such as Legends or Summit Sierra Mall.) This sounds like a pretty cool project.

Pop-up Restaurant in Midtown One Night Only

Adour will be an exquisite one-night affair at Greatful Gardens Restaurant located in Midtown at 555 South Virginia Street. Four courses of seasonal delight for one great cause. Sunday, March 2 from 6-8 pm.

Reno Rebirth: Could Siegel Group Transform Downtown?

Check out this must-read column on RGJ's Reno Rebirth blog from good friend Abbi Holcomb Whitaker about Siegel Group's Stephen Siegel. As you may know from my own posts, Siegel Group recently acquired the Virginian Hotel Casino, and the Truckee River Lane Building, and has owned the Senator Hotel on 2nd and West Streets for a while now.

The company has an opportunitiy to seriously transform downtown when/if they invest in these properties. It's known they have serious renovation plans for the Truckee River Lane Building and Virginian, so I'm excited to see what this company produces!

In The News: Morris Burner Hotel

Have you seen the incredible rooms being assembled/painted at the Morris Hotel downtown? Check them out in this great Sagebrush article. This eclectic hotel with a lot of heart and soul could end up being one of the most unique places to stay in the West!

Theory Reopens in Midtown

After a brief closure, Theory reopened in Midtown and foodie Clint Jolly stopped by to check them out. Click the link for photos!

Restoring Downtown: The Hudson Project

I've been writing this blog for close to 9 years now. During that time, we've seen projects of all sizes sweep through downtown and midtown. The project graveyard includes Arterra, Wingfield Towers, Waterfront Towers, various forms of the Kings Inn being redeveloped, and many more that didn't make it. The ones that did make it, though perhaps premature, undeniably transformed downtown. Having the Sundowner, Golden Phoenix, and Comstock converted to condos in conjunction with the Palladio, provided just enough new living spaces to initiate a gradual increase in residents from 2007 through today.

At the same point in time, striking changes were occurring in the Wells Avenue Conservation District and Midtown, on a more organic level, stabilizing a neighborhood once though of as undesirable. Marmot Properties amassed dozens of properties in the neighborhood, spending millions acquiring and renovating the properties then renting them out fairly quickly. I've covered many of their renovations and you can check out some before-and-afters on their project page. Between downtown and the Wells Avenue Conservation District, however, was a neighborhood not seeing a lot of movement or development, with many properties such as the ones owned by Ryder Homes stuck in limbo. That's is all changing, however, with the Hudson Project....