A popular Connecticut restaurant is sitting vacant after a dispute with the building’s owner over rent, according to court documents.
Hartford’s Tavern Downtown, located across from the XL Center, has closed after facing eviction for not paying $9,000 a month in rent, according to documents filed in Hartford Superior Court.
According to court documents filed April 22, the plaintiff in the case, listed as Ann Uccello Apartments LLC, sued The Hub Restaurant Group LLC, the owner of The Tavern Downtown, for defaulting on its obligation to pay $9,000 in monthly rent for March and April 2024.
The plaintiffs then filed a Notice of Abandonment of Possession against the restaurant owners, requiring them to vacate the premises by April 21, 2024. The complaint alleges that the restaurant owners refused to vacate the premises. In a ruling handed down on May 22, Judge Tamar Esperance Smith ordered The Hub Restaurant Group LLC to vacate the premises within five days.
On June 10, the parties executed a memorandum of understanding that set a move-out date of June 30. The memorandum of understanding allowed the plaintiff to retain the defendant’s $10,000 security deposit. The memorandum of understanding also provided that the defendant would leave behind the complete kitchen, which became the plaintiff’s property.
The Tavern Downtown, located at 201 Ann Uccello St., was just under 7,000 square feet, according to court records. The restaurant and bar, located on the building’s first floor, was about 4,800 square feet, plus another 2,200 square feet consisting of a club and storage area.
Jerry Fornarelli, a well-known restaurateur and former owner of Russian Lady, is listed in court documents as the owner of Tavern Downtown. Russian Lady got a new name and new owners earlier this year after the previous location closed following a violent incident between a customer and a security guard.
Calls to the restaurant are met with an automated message, but the inbox is full and no one can leave a message. The Courant attempted to contact Fornarelli but did not immediately receive a response.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sundewood@courant.com.