Restaurant News: Work on La Brasa in East Somerville Could Begin Soon

La Brasa has been one of Boston's most hotly anticipated restaurants for over a year. And for about a year, people—especially those who don't see progress at the restaurant's proposed location on Lower Broadway—have asked, "When is it coming?"

One person with some knowledge of the project says work could begin soon.

Mike d'Hemecourt, managing principal at Harborlight Advisors, a real estate investment and consulting firm, represents the owner of 130 Broadway, where La Brasa is moving into.

"Our understanding is they're moving forward," d'Hemecourt said about the restaurant.

People should "start to see stuff happening at the site within a month, hopefully," he said.

La Brasa is the . McClelland is also said to be involved in La Brasa and is named in a city planning document. 

Although Bojorquez, McLelland and company signed a lease at 130 Broadway in January of 2012, they haven't officially filed for construction permits with the city, but that should happen soon, d'Hemecourt said. Meanwhile, "They've done a lot of architectural work."

The real estate consultant said, "A lot of their timing has been tied to the streetscape improvements" taking place on Lower Broadway. The city recently began an on the East Somerville roadway. "They wanted that to get started," d'Hemecourt said.

d'Hemecourt said La Brasa "could be open by the springtime, late spring." That could be ambitious, as restaurant build-outs always seem to take longer than planned. But seeing progress at the proposed restaurant should be enough to whet the appetites of Somerville food fans.

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