Early plans are in the works to rebuild the Ocean View Restaurant in Oak Bluffs, with the addition of apartments for working Islanders.
Speaking to the Gazette by phone last week, property owner Charles Hajjar described the concept plan to rebuild a restaurant on the site along with 10 one-bedroom apartments split between a second and third floor.
The popular year-round family restaurant at 16 Chapman avenue was destroyed by fire in March 2022. Since then the site has sat vacant. No formal plans have been filed yet. But Mr. Hajjar said he hopes to have them ready for town boards and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission soon, with an eye toward a possible completion date by the fall of 2024.
Immediately after the fire, restaurant owner Mike Santoro vowed to rebuild as quickly as possible. Last week Mr. Hajjar, a businessman and real estate developer who owns numerous properties on the Island including a string of boutique hotels in Edgartown, reiterated the commitment. “We’re moving as fast as we possibly can,” he said.
Mr. Hajjar said in addition to rebuilding the beloved restaurant, he wants to build housing for working Vineyarders. He noted explicitly that the housing would not be for short-term rentals.
“We know there’s a dire need for more housing on the Island,” he said. “It’s going to be targeted toward people working year-round jobs on the Island and to not be out of their price range.”
In January Mr. Hajjar gained approval from the Oak Bluffs wastewater commission for enough flow to handle a 148-seat restaurant (slightly smaller than the previous eatery) and 10 one-bedroom apartments.
Mr. Santoro, who leases the property from Mr. Hajjar for his restaurant, called the outlook promising. “I’m excited,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have a brand new place”
