ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- The renovations and build-out that are transforming Downtown Elmira's Clemens Square have begun. Capriotti Properties is starting the first phase of the development with Centertown Social, located near the 100 West Water Street Apartments and the Clemens Center Theatre.

"We've had a fair amount of administrative delays as you would," says the Director of Development with Capriotti Properties, Mike Krusen. "We've got those behind us. We've finally started construction and we anticipate that at least Centertown Social will be open by late summer {or} early fall."

As construction progresses, so does the vision for the design and atmosphere of the restaurant, bar, and gaming area, which will soon be known as Centertown Social.

"We'll wait to do the outdoor seating and deck until the spring. We'll have the interior done, and the gaming area will be open, and the restaurant, the bar area will be open. I think everybody knows we have a general manager in place, Dane Rees, we have an identified Chef, which we think is going to bring some real unique, culinary dishes to the, to restaurant," says Krusen. 

The project's price tag is estimated to cost between $400,000 and $500,000.

Centertown Social will feature final designs with artwork by local artist Lindy Packard and interior finishes by Community Arts of Elmira. Over the coming months and years, the area will welcome a food court, tapas bar, juice bar, and Italian deli.

"In terms of the entire square, we have a long-range plan that we think the next 24 to maybe 36 months it will be completed. So if this is open in October the crew that's working here will move to the end of the building. We'll work on the tapestry restaurant and the juice bar, which I would think would take three or four months as well of construction time, to get that up and running," added Krusen.

  CAPRIOTTI PROPERTIES

Just when you thought the downtown area was finished and looked picture perfect there is still more to come, including 20 condominiums in the old Iszard's building and 20-25 renovated apartments in the Mark Twain Building.

The area is already home to the Elmira Works CoWorking Space, and other plans are in the works for entertainment programming in partnership with the City of Elmira.