IHOP says it isn't closing. Quincy says it will build there. What will happen?

Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger
Updated ·2 min read

QUINCY − City officials say they want to either to buy the building at 119 Parkingway now leased to IHOP or take it by eminent domain.

Plans by Hingham-based Atlantic Development for a public parking garage, an apartment building and a grocery store rumored to be Trader Joe's on the property were unveiled at a planning board meeting last month.

Mayor Thomas Koch's chief of staff, Chris Walker, said last month that the city council approved money to buy the IHOP property, which is owned by developers Alex Matov and Adrien Shapiro, of LBC Boston, according to property records.

The IHOP restaurant in Quincy Center.
The IHOP restaurant in Quincy Center.

Health Express, one of South Shore Health's urgent care centers that occupied offices adjoining the pancake restaurant, closed in October. A sign taped to its front door Oct. 23 informed visitors that the location is "permanently closed" and directed patients to locations on Washington Street in Weymouth and Grove Street in Braintree.

Is the Quincy, MA, IHOP closing?

Meanwhile, IHOP is still serving pancakes and other breakfast fare. In an email, IHOP's media relations department said the restaurant is not closing.

What we know about IHOP's lease agreement at 119 Parkingway

In May 2022, IHOP sued its landlord, Parkingway Q Business Center LLC, a company owned by Shapiro and Matov, alleging breach of contract. The case was settled out of court, but details of IHOP's lease agreement became public.

In January 2022, frozen fire sprinkler lines led to water damage in the building's basement. The landlord billed the tenant, IHOP, for the repairs.

More: As state changes cannabis regulations, why some South Shore officials are crying foul

More: How much historical document written by John Quincy Adams is selling for

IHOP refused to pay, claiming that the obligation to pay for repairs rested with the landlord, according to court documents. In April, the landlord sent IHOP notification that the lease would be terminated with an order to "surrender the premises" by May 5, 2022.

Terms of the settlement were not made public. However, the court documents show that IHOP holds a lease that doesn't expire until April 30, 2028, with a tenant option to extend the lease for an additional five years. The lease was signed in 2003 under a different landlord.

A rendering of a proposed multiuse development at the site of the IHOP in Quincy Center.
A rendering of a proposed multiuse development at the site of the IHOP in Quincy Center.

Will IHOP's lease complicate the city's plans to acquire and redevelop the property?

Walker acknowledged the terms of the lease. He said the city intends to acquire the building through eminent domain or a sale, but that eminent domain would be the cleaner, more formal option of the two.

If the city buys 119 Parkingway through a friendly sale, the parties will have to negotiate how Quincy will compensate IHOP and assist in its relocation, Walker said. He said there have already been preliminary discussions.

In the meantime, IHOP remains open for business daily from 7 a.m. until midnight.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy wants to buy IHOP property or take it by eminent domain