News story made available courtesy of The Poughkeepsie Journal.

Retail/office complex planned
La Fonda del Sol could rise again

Saturday, April 23, 2005
By Tammy Cilione

The site of the former La Fonda del Sol restaurant will soon be home to a new two-story retail/office complex.

The 5.5-acre property at the intersection of Old Route 9 and Old Hopewell Road will retain the La Fonda del Sol name, Gus Rodriguez, a partner in the project, said.

''We're thinking about La Fonda Commons, we really want to keep that name. The restaurant was here for over 30 years,'' Rodriguez said, adding the eatery itself might even be reopened in the complex.

Rodriguez, who was one of the restaurant's owners, said the La Fonda opened in 1974 and remained open until 2003.

''We've had a lot of people asking about it,' he said.

Popular spaces

David Livshin, president and CEO of the Dagar Group, the leasing and managing agent for the property's owners, said the complex will offer 20,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor, as well as 20,000 square feet of office space on the second floor.

The retail spaces will measure 20-by-60 feet. Livshin said the size of these spaces are attractive to today's retailers.

''These (storefronts) aren't too deep. That's what people are looking for, smaller, leasable spaces,'' Livshin said.

Rodriguez said the development, which will cost anywhere from $2.5 million to $3.5 million, will be a mixed-use one. ''We're looking for people who are established with stores in other locations. Restaurants are more than welcome,'' said Rodriguez, adding a coffee shop and medical offices are also possibilities.

Mark Grimaldi, president of Prestige Financial Services Inc. in the Executive Park building on Route 9, predicted the office spaces will fill up quickly. ''I would be shocked if they didn't,'' Grimaldi said. ''Good office space on Route 9 is worth its weight in gold.''

The project has received final site plan approval from the Town of Wappinger and is scheduled to break ground in mid- to late summer. Rodriguez said he hopes it will be completed in spring 2006.

Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce President Ann Meaher said the project sounds like it might be beneficial for the area. ''Old Route 9 is an important corridor for Wappingers Falls,'' she said.