Any idea what they are building here? It looks like some type of store front/restaurant with apartments occupying the upper floors.

It is commercial on the first and second floors, apartments above. No one is contracted to rent out the first floor yet. The owner of the building is the owner of hikaru.

that building has been under construction for about 2 years now. The original owner I believe ran into problems with contractors and unions and then sold the property to the current owners. I don't know of any planned tenants as of yet.

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The current owner is fine-it was the last owner that had problems with unions, and bankrupted the project. The gentleman that owns it now is also the owner of hikaru, as previously stated. Some of the work that was originally done had to be redone, which is one of the many reasons the project is taking so long.

Is this the space that was formerly Knave of Hearts?

Anyone know what's going on with the place at the corner of Hancock and South, across from the S. Street Diner? It's been under construction almost as long.

Yes, that was the former Knave of Hearts.
The building on Hancock and South is done being built. It was built by the same owner as South Street Diner.
Two or three condos are above(I think two). I know the ground floor doesn't look complete, but he is waiting for a tenant to rent it to complete the area with the tenant's finishing touches, which I'm sure would be negotiated in the lease-its common practice for new commercial construction. Under the condo rules, though, no food establishments may move in to the building.

What ever happened to the Knave? They closed for renovations and then disappeared. Were they owned by the building owner who didn't complete the renovations, or were they a victim OF the renovations.

Since they were a long-running (and good, IMO) establishment, I was surprised they went out with a whimper.

They were not the one's that started the rennovations. They sold the business and building, then the person rennovating was going to attempt to capitalize off of their name, and posted "coming soon" signs...he got in trouble with unions about not using the proper contractors, so he bankrupted the project. The guy who owns Hikaru then bought the property, and is the one currently building it-no tenant is planned for the building yet, but as far as I know the liquor license is still connected to the building.

Thanks for clarifying. I wish the new owner well - that corner should be hoppin' quickly once the work's done.