Hanover Crossing update: Four restaurants among next round of openings, including Sully's

HANOVER − In the Hanover Crossing management office hangs a framed black-and-white photograph shot in 1971. In the picture, a building sits in a clearing between Route 3 and Route 53. It's the original construction site of what would become Hanover Mall.

Flash forward more than 50 years, and another dramatic transformation is nearing completion.

National real estate firm PREP bought the mall property in 2016 for $39.5 million with plans to tear down Hanover Mall and build an open-air shopping plaza with adjoining residential space. The project received approval from the town in December 2019, and crews began demolishing the old mall, except for Macy's, which remains open during construction.

Two months later, "the world stopped," said Hanover Crossing General Manager Ed Callahan, as the onset of the pandemic sent shockwaves through world and local economies.

Work continued through COVID-19 surges and supply-chain disruptions. Today, the transformation that began in 2020 is in its final phase as shoppers and moviegoers now pass construction workers with hard hats and power tools on the sprawling site.

Several businesses are already up and running. Market Basket opened last March, Showcase Cinemas followed in November and Old Navy, a holdover from the old mall, reopened Feb. 1 in one of eight new buildings constructed by PREP.

Hanover Crossing Tenant Coordinator Lisa Berardinelli said she expects the site to be fully occupied and operational by this time next year. Seventy percent of retail space has already been leased, she said, and negotiations are underway for the remainder. Berardinelli said one of the anchors, L.L. Bean, is scheduled to open next to Old Navy this fall.

More options in entertainment, dining, apparel and personal care services are expected to open soon as businesses complete construction, schedule inspections and hire and train employees.

What about Sullivan's?

One anticipated opening is Sullivan's, the Castle Island eatery known for its hot dogs. It will open its second location, next to Showcase Cinemas de Lux, shortly after St. Patrick's Day, Operations Director Dan O'Donnell said.

Of all the boxes to check, "hiring is the big one," O'Donnell said. The new restaurant will retain the service counter of the original location, but will add a dining room and a full-service bar featuring breweries from the South Shore and South Boston.

Ryan's Family Amusements

Next to Sullivan's, Ryan's Family Amusements will open a two-story, 30,000-square-foot entertainment complex as early as April. Branch Manager Liam Quilty-Dunn said inspections, hiring and training will begin once construction is completed at the end of March.

Ryan's originated on Cape Cod and has several locations, all of which differ from the others.

"The Hanover site will be the biggest one, combining everything," Quilty-Dunn said. "Everything" includes bowling, arcade games, laser tag, ax throwing, bars and dining options on both floors.

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110 Grill

On the other side of the movie theater, 110 Grill plans to open in mid-April, pending construction and inspections. Director of Operations Kim Wallace said that while supply-chain disruptions caused some delays, work is progressing on schedule. Managers were at the restaurant Monday to conduct interviews.

"We're pretty pumped," Wallace said.

Evviva Trattoria

110 Grill's sister restaurant, Evviva Trattoria, anticipates a June or July opening after delays.

"Steel in general is tough to procure right now," said Evviva Trattoria's original chef, Operations Director Anthony DePalma. With better weather ahead, DePalma said he expects new construction to run on schedule.

Hanover Crossing Residences

A broad sidewalk and pedestrian crossing leads directly from the open-air plaza to Hanover Crossing Residences, where Patriot Cinemas once stood. Tenants have already moved into two of four apartment buildings. The third and fourth buildings are scheduled for staggered openings at the end of March and June. Leasing Manager Andrea Ferreira said 25% of the 297 units have been leased.

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Callahan and Berardinelli have managed the site since the mid-1990s, through good times and bad. They saw its market value nearly triple from 1995, when the original owners sold it for $38 million, to 2007, when Walton Street Capital bought the property for almost $100 million. Amid the Great Recession of 2008-09, its value cratered as tenants closed stores and much of the 67-acre lot sat vacant.

"There's a lot of history here," Callahan said, looking at the old black-and-white photograph. And with its rebirth as Hanover Crossing, more history is yet to be written.

Upcoming openings at Hanover Crossing

• Sullivan's Castle Island − just after St. Patrick's Day.

• Ryan's Family Amusements − April.

• 110 Grill − mid-April.

• Evviva Trattoria − June/July.

• L.L. Bean − early fall.

• Hanover Crossing Residences − third building at the end of March; fourth building in June.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Sullivan's, ax throwing, Evviva opening soon at Hanover Crossing