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The insanity of Skee’s

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Category: Preservation
Published on Friday, 25 November 2011 16:18
Written by Randy Garbin

Earlier this week, the Torrington Register-​Citizen posted the latest developments behind the effort to restore and save Torrington’s Skee’s Diner. As regular readers know, I’ve already posted my opinions about this project, and this story has changed none of them. Though I originally questioned Joann Ryan’s plans to for using the diner as a welcome center in a parking lot near Route 8, with the latest news, I now have to question her sanity.

The story reports that “Branford-​based contractor A. Secondino & Son, submitted a $534,000 bid for the project, or $159,000 more than the original project estimate. The increase comes due to projected costs for the possible removal of asbestos or other materials deemed hazardous.”

Aside from articles posted on our site, people who actually know how to do these things have given Ms. Ryan some sensible advice. She dismissed all of it. Anyone who knows anything about restoration will tell you that a half-​million-​dollar price tag to restore a diner comparable in size to a large back-​yard pool house would evoke riotous laughter if it otherwise wasn’t such a tragic waste of time and money. The amount of asbestos involved in this project, by the way, would fit into a standard garbage bag. The equipment you need to remove it would cost about $500.

Worst of all, Ms. Ryan might want to know that Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners restores diners intended for food service six times the size for about $125,000!

This bears repeating:

Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners restores vintage diners intended for food service six times the size for about $125,000!

This may or may not include moving, but for Skee’s this might add another $50,000 to the cost — if that.

Are you listening Ms. Ryan? Hello? Anyone home? Have you taken leave of your senses?

It’s bad enough to abuse this precious roadside gem, consigning it to a pointless welcome center that no one will use, but to blow a half mil on it is just plain criminal.

Comments

0 # Donald F Tanner 2011-​11-​25 17:06
GREAT article! It seems like someone involved with the chamber of commerce would make a serious profit if their project goes through!.…… .something is rotten in Denmark; oops, I meant Torrington!

A serious investigation into who owns the companies involved in this deal is needed to show just who will profit from this deal.….…PS: it wont be the people of Torrington!
0 # Jack Obermayer 2011-​11-​28 20:37
PLEASE save the great shrine to St. Jerry O’. Unabashedly my favorite, it is what got me started in appreciating old and classic diners. What can i DO?
0 # John Fedor 2011-​12-​03 00:16
Having consumed many “egg,pepper,oni on and sausage” sandwiches at 2:oo A.M. or later on a Friday or Saturday night with some friends at Skee’s, I hate to see it pass. All the old diners in Torrington like the “North End Diner”, “Joe’s Diner” on East Main St., “Park Diner” in the center of town, (before the flood), all bring back memories of the “Good ol’ Days”.Gfathoing to have a hard time falling asleep tonight !

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