FRAMINGHAM — An iconic native restaurant seems to be getting a face-lift, as Ken’s Steak House has introduced its intention to assemble a brand new constructing to accommodate the Route 9 restaurant.
Ken’s Steak Home managers appeared June 12 earlier than the Framingham Historical Commission to hunt approval on their renovation plans. Chris Eggers, who represents the Hanna household, advised commissioners that the homeowners hope to tear down the present restaurant constructing and assemble a brand new one on the identical web site.
“The household desires to switch the constructing with a more recent constructing,” Eggers stated throughout the June 12 assembly. “The brand new constructing goes to be constructed and the previous constructing will proceed to function throughout that interval, however finally the previous constructing might be demolished. The brand new constructing can have expanded parking and outside seating.”
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Eggers stated the prevailing restaurant constructing, at 95 Worcester Highway, has little historic worth.
“Not one of the unique façade might be seen from the surface, that has all been taken down,” he stated. “There could also be some interior partitions which will have been a part of the previous construction, however so far as the dealing with of that constructing, nothing is unique. That’s all 1957-59 period.”
Commissioners say restaurant signal ought to stay with new constructing
Commissioners agreed with Eggers that the constructing doesn’t possess historic worth, though they assume the restaurant’s iconic neon signal ought to keep.
“The signal goes to stay as is — they’ve little interest in pulling that down or altering all of it,” Eggers responded. “The signal is nice.”
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The restaurant has been at its present location since 1941, when Ken and Florence Hanna bought the previous McHale’s Diner. Having beforehand operated a Natick restaurant known as Lakeside Cafe, which prospects rapidly began referring to as “Ken’s,” the couple determined to call the brand new restaurant Ken’s Steak Home.
Whereas the unique eatery contained only a handful of seats, the restaurant would increase through the years. In 1945, the eating space was elevated to accommodate as much as 80 company, adopted by further expansions in 1957 and 1959.
Ken’s constructing stated to be ‘final construction’ from Golden Mile period
Historic District Commissioner Frederic Wallace stated the Ken’s Steak Home constructing is the final actual construction from a golden interval of enterprise in Framingham.
“That stretch of Route 9 was often called the Golden Mile again within the ’50s and ’60s, in all probability the most popular east of Worcester in Massachusetts,” stated Wallace, additionally the town’s historian. “There have been nightclubs and excellent eating places on either side of the freeway. The importance is that that is actually the final construction from that interval.”
Whereas the restaurant bore the identify of Ken Hanna, it might be Florence’s recipes, significantly her do-it-yourself salad dressing, that will set the restaurant aside. Ultimately, demand for her bottled dressing was so sturdy that the Hanna household licensed the product to a producer. In the present day, Marlborough-based Ken’s Foods is the nation’s third largest salad dressing producer.
Eggers stated throughout the June 12 assembly that Ken’s is hoping to begin development later this 12 months, however that is doubtless six months away. He famous the group hasn’t but began the licensing course of wanted to be authorised for the venture to go ahead.
“We nonetheless have so much to do, however we wished to get this out first earlier than we pursued issues additional,” Eggers stated.