The name outside hasn’t changed yet, but with new staff being hired and renovations being made to the menu and décor, The Gatehouse Restaurant is on line to reopen this spring, nearly a year after being acquired and then shut down.
Owner Newport Harbor Corp. plans to open the restaurant April 2 with a new name, Waterman Grille, and a new concept, said Kenneth Cusson, former owner and now general manager of the restaurant. About 30 positions are being filled currently, he said.
Newport Harbor, owner of restaurants including Castle Hill Inn & Resort and 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, bought The Gatehouse and its catering division last summer. It then merged Gatehouse Catering with Blackstone Caterers, based in Newport, to create a statewide catering powerhouse.
At the time, the owners said that the landmark restaurant would remain closed for the foreseeable future. But last week, after being contacted by a reporter, Cusson ended the speculation about whether The Gatehouse would reopen and disclosed Newport Harbor’s plans.
The most visible change at the restaurant, Cusson said, will be the price point.
Waterman will be “less formal” than The Gatehouse was, he said, offering more “comfort foods” at lower prices. The idea was to create a restaurant where people in the neighborhood would go to share appetizers and drinks.
“Fine dining is becoming more and more competitive in Providence,”
Cusson said. “The density of restaurants is getting more intense every day. We felt that in order for us to attract more guests, we had to rethink our price points.”
The décor of the restaurant also will undergo a change, he said, but there won’t be much in the way of new construction. To promote the more casual atmosphere, Waterman will forgo white table linens on the main level of the restaurant.
The biggest change in the dining experience will be a new deck overlooking the Seekonk River and seating for between 35 and 40 people.
While The Gatehouse had become a highly recognizable brand in Providence, Cusson said, Newport Harbor decided that the name had “kind of run its course” for the restaurant. Also, given the new concept and significant changes for the location, Cusson said, there was a need to change the name for rebranding purposes.
“We still wanted to tie it to the neighborhood, so we went with Waterman Grille to reflect the address,” Cusson said.
Since being bought out by Newport Harbor, Gatehouse has had successes as a catering company, Cusson said. The merger was designed to utilize the financial and culinary resources of both Gatehouse and Blackstone while expanding the presence and volume of business done by Newport Harbor.
Thus far, it has worked, said Cusson. Among the most high-profile deals struck as a result of the merger is an agreement with Conley’s Wharf for a summer festival held in collaboration with the Newport Yachting Center.
But Cusson, who purchased the Gatehouse in 1993 and closed it last June because of a drop-off in business, said the new restaurant will benefit from new residential developments in its East Side neighborhood. Specifically, he pointed to a development by Essex Richmond, Waterman’s landlord, which will put 40 upscale condominiums on the south end of the property where the restaurant sits.
He has been meeting with the developer and both parties are working on ways to further what he said should be a mutually beneficial relationship.
“That will certainly be a big boost for us,” Cusson said.
