Back in business in the Hanna Building - 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports

Back in business in the Hanna Building

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Hanna Building, Cleveland Hanna Building, Cleveland
CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -

It was an electrical transformer in the basement of the Hanna Building that malfunctioned, and soon the smoke caused a major problem for people working in the building or trying to have a little lunch at one of the bars or restaurants.  

Justin Farris is the chef at Alex Bistro and Bar and was just stepping back into the restaurant.

"I saw the smoke coming out from the front of the vents, I came back in the restaurant and  nobody is here, the whole building has been evacuated and I see burgers on the grill and unfinished meals on the tables," he said.

But the Bistro was back in business on Thursday, preparing for what they hoped would be a busy lunch and dinner.  They need to make up the lost revenue.

"We lost our lunch business, unpaid tickets and lost our dinner reservations last night," said Farris. "It hit us pretty well."

The good news is that the smoke did not damage the work being done in the Hanna Annex.  The K and D group is in the middle of a renovation of the upper floors of the annex, a twenty five million dollar project, that will develop about one hundred theatre district apartments.

 Copyright 2013 WOIO. All rights reserved.

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