Seawall Damage At Popular Waterfront Restaurant Forces Closing

NEW LONDON, CT—TripAdvisor reviewers from around the world say it's the second best restaurant in New London. Yelp! reviewers, hundreds of them, have it named in the top five in city. And on Google, nearly 500 people from all over give it an average of 4.6 stars. And then there's the locals who don't need an online review to tell them it's a great place. And now that On The Waterfront has abruptly closed its doors, hundreds are heartbroken. The most of which is owner Steve "Stash" Schiavone and the "Waterfront family."

On the Facebook page for the eatery that sits on the shore of the Thames at Greens Harbor, the news was shared. An employee noticed something amiss on the seawall that supports the building and an engineer confirmed, they say, damage that may make the building unsafe.

"It is with extremely heavy hearts and much internal sadness that we have to announce the temporary closure of On The Waterfront. Recent tides have caused damage to the structural integrity of the building, and we have to think first and foremost about the safety of all of you, the most loyal and compassionate patrons," the post reads.

"Our plan is to reinforce the structure to the code of FEMA standards as quickly as possible. We are going to be lost without being able to put smiles on your faces and delicious food on your tables.
To all those who have private events booked at On The Waterfront, Andrea will be reaching out to you directly."

"We apologize for any and all inconveniences and appreciate your continued support through this time. We will keep you updated as much as we can. All the best, Stash, Anthony, and the entire On The Waterfront Family. "

Schiavone told The Day the "damage was noticed earlier this week and after an engineer reviewed the sea wall, the business made the call to temporarily close."

On a phone recording, it's noted that the "...restaurant will be closed until further notice."

In an interview with the paper, he said while upsetting, "We can't put the building in jeopardy and we can't put the public in jeopardy."

He said the issue will take time to repair to "Federal Emergency Management Administration standards." He said he'll know more after engineers study the problem.

Local restaurateurs have shared their condolences and wishes for a great comeback.

Angela San Juan from The Recovery Room wrote:

"All of us here at Recovery Room are so very sorry to hear this news..We can only imagine how devastating for your family, staff, and all your loyal customers. We have no doubt you will come back better than ever. If there is anything we can help with please don’t hesitate to reach out.