The National Park Service is looking for a new restaurant tenant to take over the former City Tavern space in Old City.
Independence National Historical Park issued a request for proposals on Wednesday for a lessee to operate and maintain the building at 138 S. 2nd St. in Old City. The RFP lists a targeted opening date of July 1 for a lease of 10 years or more.
City Tavern, an American Colonial-themed restaurant helmed by Chef Walter Staib, occupied the 15,000-square-foot facility for 26 years. Staib closed the restaurant in November 2020 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Staib, a former James Beard Award nominee, is founder and president of Concepts By Staib Ltd. The restaurant management and hospitality consulting firm has opened more than 650 restaurants across the globe. Before it closed, City Tavern was Concepts By Staib's flagship operation.
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The original City Tavern was built in 1773 and served as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers and an unofficial meeting site for the First Continental Congress. It was razed in 1854 after being partially damaged by a fire on March 22, 1834. The National Park Service built a replica of the building on the land in 1975.
To read more on what changes the National Park Service are allowing for the space head to PBJ.com.
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