Amedeo's Italian Restaurant could relocate amid possible redevelopment
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Amedeo's has been a staple on Western Boulevard for decades. Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios
The owners of Amedeo's Italian Restaurant have filed a rezoning request with the city of Raleigh to potentially make way for more height on its Western Boulevard property.
Why it matters: Amedeo's has been a fixture of the Raleigh dining scene, especially among the Wolfpack faithful, for six decades.
- But Western Boulevard is on the cusp of a major transformation as the city eventually hopes to extend its bus-rapid transit system down the road, and it could potentially mean the relocation of the historic restaurant.
Driving the news: Wolfgang Investment Properties, which is run by the owners of Amedeo's, filed a request with the city in February to allow up to seven stories to be built on the property at 3911 Western Blvd.
- The application references the future bus-rapid transit line and notes that any redevelopment would follow the city's urban frontage rules and include the existing surface parking lot.
The big picture: Amedeo's is known for its classic Italian comfort food, especially its signature lasagna, but longtime customers also cherish the campus-adjacent institution because it's an N.C. State institution — founded by a former Wolfpack football player and brimming with red-and-white memorabilia and game-day tradition.
What they're saying: The ownership of the restaurant confirmed on Facebook that it has filed the request, after the Triangle Business Journal reported on the application.
- "As many know, the building now requires significant updates to operate long-term, and upcoming road expansion plans will impact the property, including the loss of critical parking," the ownership group said in a statement. "... If we ultimately move forward with redevelopment, we will begin exploring opportunities for a new location."
Zoom in: The Amedeo's ownership group said they're also exploring a potential sale of the property as part of the rezoning request.
- It noted this process should take several years — if it happens — and will not affect the restaurant's operations in the near term.