Yonkers Downtown BID Holds Grand Opening Ceremony for Dolphin Restaurant

July 29, 2010 - PRLog -- The Yonkers Downtown Waterfront Business Improvement District welcomed a new neighbor on July 22 with a grand opening ceremony for the Dolphin, a  7,100 square-foot seafood restaurant offering outdoor dining located at the waterfront, 1 Van Der Donck Street. It marked the fourth new enterprise to open its doors for business in downtown Yonkers since April.

Steve Sansone, Executive Director of the Yonkers Downtown BID, joined Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone; Yonkers Councilwoman Patricia McDow, who is also a member of the Yonkers BID Board of Directors, and other elected officials and local merchants in welcoming the Dolphin’s owners and staff including restaurateur Elio Rugova who was a  three-start chef at Captain’s Table in Manhattan and his four sons: Jimmy Rugova, restaurant manager; Skel Rugova, Agron Rugova and Drit Rugova and chef David Hubert.  The Rugova family also lives in Yonkers.

Sansone said: “The Dolphin is an exciting addition to the Yonkers Downtown which has become one of Westchester’s hottest destinations for dining and entertainment.” He added: “The Dolphin is located in the heart of the waterfront where so much great and free outdoor events are  happening including the BID’s Annual Jazz and Blues Concert Series, Evolution Arts, Main Street Film Series at Dusk, the Half Moon Festival and, of course, the annual Riverfest extravaganza in September. It’s not surprising that thousands of visitors from throughout the region have discovered that the Yonkers Downtown Waterfront has so much to offer for every member of the family.”  

Sansone also noted that over the past three months, Yonkers downtown has been experiencing an uptick in new business openings in spite of the recession. “In addition to the Dolphin, we’ve welcomed Key Bank, Retro Fitness and a new pediatric dental practice, Kids Smile Pediatric Dentistry. And we are looking forward to welcoming additional new businesses scheduled to open here in the coming months.”

In addition, the arrival of the Dolphin goes against the national trend which saw a decline in the opening of full-service restaurants over the past year, according to research by The NPD Group.

The Dolphin owners made extensive renovations of the site, formerly the Pier View Restaurant, including a re-designed kitchen, wood, stone and glass finishes on a new nautically themed street facade, new restrooms, LED lighting,  two bars and an international wine collection. The two-level restaurant provides indoor seating for 170 and outdoor seating for 100.

The restaurant is the second generation “Dolphin.” Elio Rugova opened and ran the first “Dolphin” on Manhattan’s East Side for seven years. He also worked at Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse in Las Vegas, Mulino’s Restaurant, White Plains and others.

# # #

The Yonkers Downtown/Waterfront Business Improvement District was created to promote and implement the economic revitalization of the District and the City of Yonkers. The BID is also designed to maintain the downtown streets, contribute to public safety, landscape the district, market special events and create promotional opportunities to highlight the area. Additionally, the BID will preserve and encourage the cultural, historic, tourist and civic interest of the District and the City of Yonkers.