River Drive Construction, based in Elmwood Park, N.J., recently announced the firm has completed a $1.3 million renovation and expansion of the Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto II Ristorante, a new high-end Italian deli and restaurant located on New York City's Upper East Side, at 903 Madison Ave. between 72 and 73 Streets.

River Drive served as general contractor and contract manager, and expanded the facility to encompass 4,000 square feet divided between the basement and the first floor. The project began in early March and took three months to complete.

"We thank Salumeria Rosi for providing us with the opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in restaurant fit-outs, enabling them to continue their long tradition of culinary excellence," says Joseph Langan, president of River Drive. "Salumeria is the Italian word for delicatessen, and this wonderful deli gives New York's residents and visitors the unique opportunity to share in an Italian tradition of visiting their local deli to purchase specialty foods and delicacies."

Construction work included extending the back dining area; reconfiguring of the stairway; adding new tile and wall panels on the first floor; new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); new fire protection, electric, lighting, gas, and water lines; and the installation of a new sun roof and storefront.

Salumeria Rosi Parmacatto II Ristorante, whose existing sister Upper West Side facility is located across town between 73rd and 74th Streets, expanded to the Madison Avenue location as a result of the success of the West Side facility. Gruppo Parmacotto, owned by the Rosi family, also own restaurants in Paris and in Parma, a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy.

"We're excited by River Drive's work on our new East Side restaurant," says Cesare Casella, executive chef and partner of Salumeria Rosi. "River Drive has completed the work with sensitivity to our every need, including our needs for the work to be completed on time and within budget. In the restaurant business, time is of the essence."

In addition to the work for Salumeria Rosi, River Drive has recently completed construction work on other restaurant projects, including Brothers Pizza in Midland Park, N.J.; Longhorn Steak House in Deptford, N.J.; and an Olive Garden in Clifton Park, N.Y.

Besides general construction and ground-up projects in the restaurant and hospitality sectors, River Drive provides construction and consulting services to developers, management companies, end users, and corporations in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in sectors including science and technology, institutional, healthcare, and retail.

The architect on the project was Daniel O'Connor Architects, based in New York City, whose commitment to quality brings together the experience of designing and building projects in both the United States and Europe.