A couple of investors from Milano wanted to open an upscale, urban Italian caffé, as they would find in their home city.  They approached the team that was developing the Water’s Edge restaurant which began a search for the ideal location.  That location proved to be a greasy sub shop at the top of Beacon Hill, but at the ground floor level of an attractive 1910’s mid-rise.  It was only after the retail space had been leased that we were able to poke around to discover above the grimy suspended ceiling magnificent Corinthian column capitals.  Further investigation determined that the space originally had been an hotel lobby.  The mezzanine, which was intended to define the customer area and to act as a horizontal plenum, therefore was floated between the columns as a “cloud”.  The main kitchen and support spaces were in the generous basement.  Not visible, in this only remaining photo, are the seating areas to both the left and right.  Because time and accountability were crucial, we took a risk and hired the newly-organized Meridian Contracting to construct this project.