Thursday update: The Haven is officially open for business. The eatery opened it's doors to the public Thursday afternoon, after all required paperwork was submitted by the building's owners late Wednesday, according to city officials.
Original Story as Follows:
The re-opening of The Haven in downtown Banning has been delayed "due to required to paperwork," the owner of the popular Sandwich Stoppe in Beaumont announced on social media, and city officials confirm.
Lamese Ugapo, who has touted the new location since early October, said on Facebook Tuesday he hopes the problem should be taken of this week.
Regretfully we at The Haven inform you that due to required paperwork that has not been turned in to the city by the owners of the building we have been asked to close our doors until said paperwork is processed and approved. We are unfortunate casualties to this mishap and are forced to sit by and wait to re-open. We apologize to you our customers who were looking forward to enjoying our food today. All this should be taken care of this week and we will keep you posted as we receive the news. Thank you.
Lamese "Mese" Ugapo II
Ugapo first gave an opening date of Nov. 12, and later pushed that date back to Nov. 26.
Now, though Ugapo says he's ready on his end, there are a few final details that need wrapping up, city officials tell Banning-Beaumont Patch.
Banning's Director of Economic Development, Bill Manis, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that the city was just waiting on a couple of things to be submitted by the owners of The Haven building.
“We are hoping that the final information that we need is submitted today [Tuesday], and they we’ll turn it around and have it approved tomorrow [Wednesday],” Manis said, adding that the ultimate goal is to have the new downtown business open by Friday at the latest, ensuring that “proper procedures” are met.
"The tenant has done everything,” Manis added. "The only thing that’s taking a little bit of time is on the ownership side.”
Manis said that sign permitting requirements were met on Tuesday for the iconic "Haven" sign that's outside the building, and now all they're waiting on is the submission of "as built" plans, which he described as a very simple drawings that show what the space the tenant takes up looks like.
Tenant, City Working Together
Though there has been a history of disputes over this building between previous tenants and the city, it appears both parties in this case are working together to get the new business off the ground.
"As far as the city is concerned, they have actually been extremely helpful in resolving these issues," Ugapo said on Facebook on Wednesday in response to a series of concerned comments about the delayed opening. "The landlords have been aware of these issues and our plans to open for quite some time now, yet it was the city who let us know about the long-standing issues when I believe it should have been the property owners."
Manis seemed to echo that sentiment, and said the city's main concern is that everything is done correctly right off the bat.
“We want to be sure that t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted,” Manis told Patch. “[Lamese] has been great, and he would be the first to say that the city has been amazing... he would be the first to tell you the city has been extremely cooperative.”
Manis added that the city is excited to see this whole project coming together.
"We’re thrilled to see it happen because it’s been a vacated building for a couple of years,” he said. "To have a tenant in there and have this happen as downtown is expanding is exciting.”
Stay with Banning-Beaumont Patch for more on this developing story.
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