All Over Albany

Carmine Sprio opening Brazilian steakhouse in downtown Albany

Update March 12, 2012: A peek inside Carmine's Brazilian Grill

Chef Carmine Sprio is resurfacing in downtown Albany with a Brazillian-style steakhouse, the city of Albany says. The aptly named "Carmine's Brazilian Grill" is scheduled for a February 2012 opening at 4-6 Sheridan, a mixed use building that's being developed with apartments on the upper floors. (It's the former Big House/Skyline building.)

The restaurant will apparently be modeled on churrascaria -- in which people pay a fixed price and servers walk around with platters of various grilled meats. From the press release:

Carmine's Brazilian Grill will offer fixed price menus for lunch and dinner. The grill menu will include many different cuts of meat, the typical dinner selections will be beef (3-5 different cuts), lamb (chops or leg), pork (loin, ribs, homemade sausage) and chicken. The dinner menu will also include a full starter bar, offering a wide variety of appetizers.

The full press release is after the jump.

Sprio had run an Italian restaurant called "Carmine's" on Central Ave near Everett Road for 13 years -- it closed in 2009. He's also been involved in various TV projects (here's an audition video for a show on OWN). [Biz Review]

Tangent: That spot in downtown Albany is forming a cluster of residences. There are the 24 condos at 17 Chapel, the 43 apartments planned as part of the Boyd Printing Co. building conversion ("The Monroe") at 47 Sheridan, and now the 13 units at 4-6 Sheridan. [Places and Spaces]

Yep, 17 Chapel advertises on AOA.

photo via Carmine's TV Facebook

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MAYOR JENNINGS ANNOUNCES NEW BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN ALBANY

Fully Rehabbed Mixed-Use building undergoing $1.6 million renovation

Albany, NY - Mayor Jennings today officially announced a new restaurant at 4-6 Sheridan as part of a full building renovation that will also result in 13 new apartments in downtown Albany. Carmine's Brazilian Grill will open in February 2012 after building renovations are complete. Carmine Sprio a long-time regional restaurateur announced an exciting new concept that will be a first of its kind in the capital region. The restaurant is designed in a churrasco style, which features a Brazilian - influence grilled meat service, where waiters move around the restaurant with the skewers, carving and serving at the table in front of the guest.

Carmine's Brazilian Grill will offer lunch 11:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and dinner will be 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and open until 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant will be a cornerstone of the emerging downtown residential district, adding to the quality and caliber of restaurant and night-life activity. The restaurant is designed to offer a family friendly atmosphere and to serve as a new destination in downtown dining. The addition is intended to complement the district by adding diverse options and positive quality of life amenities for the residential neighborhood. [AOA interjects: we suspect this is the city's way of saying: "Hey, this isn't another bar."]

"This project represents an exciting component of our downtown residential initiative. I am pleased to welcome Guy Alonge and Carmine's Brazilian Grill to downtown" said Mayor Jennings. "This is an important announcement for Downtown as it adds vitality as well as 35+ new jobs. I would like to thank this investment team for choosing the City of Albany."

Carmine's Brazilian Grill will offer fixed price menus for lunch and dinner. The grill menu will include many different cuts of meat, the typical dinner selections will be beef (3-5 different cuts), lamb (chops or leg), pork (loin, ribs, homemade sausage) and chicken. The dinner menu will also include a full starter bar, offering a wide variety of appetizers.

"I am happy to be a part of the downtown Albany community and look forward to joining my friends and colleagues in the neighborhood" said Carmine Sprio. "I would like to thank Guy Alonge for his support of this project. I am truly excited about opening Carmine's Brazilian Grill in downtown Albany."

The restaurant is a component of a total building renovation at 4-6 Sheridan Avenue, where Guy Alonge and partners have invested approximately $1.6 million to convert the space to 13 new apartments and the ground floor restaurant. The building conversion comes on the heels of 24 new condos at 17 Chapel and in advance of the conversion project underway at The Monroe for 43 new downtown apartments.

"The Capitalize Albany Corporation and the City's economic development team worked very hard to assist with the redevelopment of this gateway" said Michael Yevoli, President of the Capitalize Albany Corporation. "We are confident that residential development is key to downtown's continued revitalization and this building transformation is symbolic of more to come. I am pleased to extend a very warm welcome to Carmine to downtown Albany."

The building was acquired by Guy Alonge and his team in 2010. The first apartment is rented, with an expected occupancy date of January. The fifth floor is 99% complete and the fourth floor will also be ready by the end of December. The second and third floors will follow by January. Apartment rental applications are currently being accepted. This project marks another step forward in the downtown residential development initiative, where current rental activity is boasting a 98% occupancy rate.

"This new restaurant will match the level and quality of the new residential product being offered in Downtown," stated Georgette Steffens, Executive Director of the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District. "It is a great addition to the fine dining establishments, great performance venues, and arts and culture found in Albany's emerging residential neighborhood."

The project financing is supported by the City of Albany IDA assistance, the Capitalize Albany Corporation, the New York State Main Street program and private capital. The New York Main Street grant is administered by the Capitalize Albany Corporation and provided by New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The project was a part of the Capitalize Albany Corporation's 2010 award with $150,000 allocated to the building rehab. The funding was critical to kick-start the project and requires some of the apartments maintain a rent affordability component for five years.