(Far left) Smith & Wollensky restaurant, circa 1998, from State Street. (Near left) Patio in 2007 with parking ramp of west tower in background.

New use for the skating rink

A 15-year retail lease for approximately 21,543 square feet of space was signed on July 31, 1997 by Marina City Hotel Enterprises, LLC, and S&W Chicago, LLC.

Smith & Wollensky could open as a steakhouse – or a seafood restaurant named “The Manhattan Ocean Club” – but it could not have an “Italian themed menu.” The first year’s rent would be $428,060, increasing to $621,947 after ten years. There was no security deposit.

With 13 restaurants nationwide, The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group claims it is the largest-grossing à la carte restaurant in the U.S. The company was founded in 1977 by Alan Stillman, who years earlier had borrowed $5,000 from his mother to start the first T.G.I. Friday’s in Manhattan.

On April 15, 1998, Smith & Wollensky opened as a steakhouse to favorable reviews. Executive Chef Hans Aeschbacher (left) oversaw preparation of upscale dishes such as steak, lobster, salmon, and pastry desserts. The wooden building that replaced the skating rink was painted forest green, with white trim and latticework. The company described the interior of their restaurant as “a turn-of-the-century casual elegance, with shining brass, polished wood floors, and dark wood accents.” The design probably had admirers, but they were not at Bertrand Goldberg Associates. In his 1999 interview with Betty Blum, BGA architect Ben Honda said he and Goldberg fought the design and suggested alternatives, but they were told it was too far along to change.

“They gave us that ugly monstrosity there,” said Honda, “which is an absolute disgrace on that site.”