News Blog
Blue Goose Restaurant Site Faces Foreclosure
June 9, 2011
The owner of a South Salinas property that's been facing foreclosure since December filed a motion for an injunction to keep the South Main Street location, home to a Montessori School and planned high-end restaurant and bar, Blue Goose.
Chris Evans bought the property in 2007 for $2.2 million, and says he and his partner Ethan Hare invested $1 million into improving the school portion of the property since then. He says they've tried to pay on time, but the sellers have been rejecting payment. "They've been fighting us all of the way," Evans says. "It's just bizarre."
"This lawsuit invovles the unusual situation where a lender refuses to accept a payoff," according to Evans' complaint. The lenders, Russell and Mary Bate, could not be reached for comment.
As to developing the restaurant, Evans says, "It's going well." Still, the restaurant hasn't been smooth sailing, as some Montessori parents contend a restaurant/bar would be inappropriate for a space adjacent to a school. There's no projected date for ground break yet, with the real estate deal holding up financing. The Bates have also objected to splitting the parcel into two, "by contacting the City Council and otherwise opposing our efforts to legally subdivide the property," according to the complaint.
In a separate business venture, Evans ran an Oldtown branch of his Monterey children's party business, Jump-N-Around, until 2008. After a sale gone awry to Amit Pandya through Monterey Business Brokers, that building also went into foreclosure.
Monterey County Superior Court Judge Kay Kingsley will consider Evans' motion for an injunction on Friday.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID