SPRINGFIELD — New life is coming to the former Lido Ristorante at 555 Worthington St. as renovations begin for the new Rosé restaurant.
Owner Kristen Fiore said Monday that she hopes to be open this summer.
“It’s going to be a restaurant, bar, lounge area,” she said.
Lido, which was a family-owned Italian restaurant for 64 years, closed in 2012. Serafino and Olimpia Cerasa founded Lido in 1948 and moved it to Worthington Street three years later. Their sons Joseph and Donald Cerasa ran Lido for many years.
Fiore’s company, Rosé Entertainment, bought the property in July 2021 for $350,000, according to records on file with the Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
The Springfield Board of License Commissioners voted 4-1 on March 9 to approve the license after Fiore argued successfully for a 2 a.m. closing time — over the objections of the Armoury Quadrangle Civic Association. At the meeting, Fiore said she’d made adjustments, including soundproofing and lowering the restaurant’s capacity to 180 or so from 300.
The Rosé liquor license is now in the hands of the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission in Boston, which will inspect the restaurant before giving its approval.
The city’s Planning Board raised questions about the security plans for the restaurant, and why there would be need for metal detectors and searches.
Fiore said Monday that she has a security plan in place and is adding soundproofing to the building. She said some of the objections have come from residents at Kimball Towers, 1490 Chestnut St., which is a few blocks away.
“Me and the neighborhood have had our own conversations,” she said. “We won’t have any problems.”
Her manager of record is Antron Goodridge, who told the board he has experience in the bar and restaurant business.
Fiore said she’s hired a chef and is planning a menu. She described the food as “American fare.”
Fiore said she plans entertainment like live bands or local DJs on Friday and Saturday nights.
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