by Bea Peterson
Almost three years to the day, the hole that was Dougherty’s Restaurant has finally been filled in. On Monday, March 16, Mike Bacon of R.M Bacon Construction was at work with fill and a backhoe smoothing out the long empty space at the corner of Main and John Streets.
“It’s been seeded with Kentucky blue grass,” said realtor Rick Tinkham. “It will look beautiful.” Tinkham said the owner of the property, Bryan Pello, wants to make the corner look as nice as possible.
Tinkham said there is some interest in the property. He and Pello have been working with people from the Restore New York program. “They have been extremely cooperative,” Tinkham said. He believes an individual will come forward with a good project that will meet the needs of the community. “It’s the cornerstone of the Village.” He said they are screening potential buyers now.
In the early morning hours of March 19, 2006, fire completely destroyed the lovely old building that had been Dougherty’s Restaurant. By the next day what was left standing of the building was knocked down. An unsightly gaping hole filled with building debris with a fence around it has been a constant reminder of what was lost. The spot looks better already.