Roethlisberger takes a pass on restaurant near stadiums
Steelers QB focusing on football, not food
Ben Roethlisberger has spiked a plan to open a restaurant on the North Shore.
In a statement Friday, the Steelers quarterback said he was giving up the venture to devote his full attention to the upcoming season, which starts in three weeks.
“After much consideration, my family and I decided it was best to step away from our opportunity to build a restaurant on the North Shore,” he said.
“While we were thrilled about the potential journey to do something new and exciting in the city of Pittsburgh, we felt it was the right decision to focus all my time and energy into pursuing a Super Bowl championship in the upcoming 2019 season.”
Mr. Roethlisberger originally had planned to open the 7,100square-foot restaurant, dubbed North Shore Seven, last spring. But that schedule proved to be off target.
At the time, Barry Ford, president of development in Pittsburgh for Continental Real Estate Companies, said that the opening of the
eatery was “still months out.” Continental was hired by the Steelers and the Pirates to develop the publicly owned land between Heinz Field and PNC Park.
In a statement Friday, Mr. Ford said “we understand and support Ben Roethlisberger’s decision to focus on his family and the game of football.
“We look forward to potentially working with him in the future and wish him best of luck in his pursuits,” Mr. Ford said. “We are working on finding a great concept for the space that will offer visitors to the North Shore another great reason to visit this thriving area.”
Mr. Roethlisberger’s restaurant was to occupy a prominent spot on the east side of the seven-story building that serves as the headquarters for German software company SAP.
The space is located near the North Shore water steps and is to include an outdoor dining area. Large photos of Mr. Roethlisberger playing quarterback are affixed to that side of the building.
In an interview, Mr. Ford said he has a “big, well-known restaurant group” coming in soon to look at the space. He was confident that he would land a tenant.
“We’re moving on and we’re going to find a great replacement for Ben,” he said. “It’s a great space. We’re going to find a primo restaurant for that space. That’s my marching order.”
Mr. Roethlisberger’s restaurant, announced last year, was to feature appetizers, sandwiches and entrees. Planned for the bar were at least 50 taps, including craft beers.
One of North Shore Seven’s selling points was to have been that everything would be made from scratch — entrees, sandwiches, sauces and dressings. The player envisioned a food-driven, family-friendly concept that would appeal to diners throughout the year, not just on game day.
Mr. Roethlisberger had been scouting the region for several years for a place to open a restaurant. In addition to the North Shore, he had looked in the North Hills. He has been a partner in restaurants in Georgia and South Carolina.
His decision to give up the restaurant leaves Continental with another space to fill on North Shore Drive. The developer is still trying to find a replacement for the Rivertowne North Shore restaurant.
Herky Pollock, a CBRE executive vice president who is handling the retail for Continental, said he has “several high-profile prospects who are looking to enter the North Shore and complement the existing mix of tenants.”
Continental has landed Shorty’s Pins x Pints, a new entertainment concept developed by the owners of the Burgatory group of restaurants, including Mr. Pollock, to take the space on North Shore Drive last occupied by Tilted Kilt.
In addition, the developer is planning a project next to the Hyatt Place Hotel that is to feature offices, condominiums and retail. As part of that venture, Continental is planning a “really cool entertainment and retail piece” near the home plate entrance to PNC Park.