Past Press

Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers Inc. Designs New  Restaurant in Hackensack, N.J.

LIVINGSTON, N.J. (July 7, 2009) -- Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers Inc. has announced that it has provided architecture, engineering and design services for Bocconi Pasta Pronto & More, a new restaurant at 363 Essex St. in Hackensack, N.J.

The restaurant, which opened at the beginning of June, provides casual Italian fare in a fresh, contemporary setting. The restaurant is the prototype for a series of four to five additional restaurants that the owners expect to open throughout New Jersey.

The 1,200-square-foot restaurant, which was built onto one end of a strip mall, features upscale materials and finishes in neutral colors accented by the Bocconi signature colors of red and white. The restaurant seats 25 patrons.

“We created a lot of interest by using a blend of materials and a variation in ceiling heights,” said Justin A. Mihalik, AIA, principal at Jarmel Kizel. “For such a small space, there’s a lot going on. When you enter the space, it immediately captures your interest -- it’s slick and eye-catching.”

The restaurant was an immediate success, according to Mihalik, who headed the project for Livingston, N.J.-based Jarmel Kizel. The word “bocconi” means “little bites” in Italian – in the sense of “let’s go for a bite” -- a reference to the restaurant’s focus on providing inexpensive quality food, he said.

Bocconi’s caters mainly to the area business community, including the Hackensack University Medical Center, which is directly across the street, and in particular to the lunch crowd, he said. The restaurant also provides catering and a “grab and go” selection. There is no table service.

“The success of Bocconi is proof of the appeal of their concept,” said Matthew Jarmel, AIA, principal of Jarmel Kizel. “We are happy to have worked with Bocconi on their prototype. The sleek look supports their mission of providing excellent food at affordable prices in a casual contemporary setting.”

The restaurant was developed by the owners, Marco Pipolo, a Manhattan restaurateur, who partnered with Mario Amon of Hackensack and Frank Gashi of Ridgefield Park, in response to a perceived demand for inexpensive quality Italian food that can be delivered within five minutes of placing an order -- sometimes even less.

Prices for entrees are less than $10, with the pasta and sauces being made fresh daily. Specialties include homemade ravioli, fettucini and cavatelli, as well as about a dozen salads.

Restaurants are a specialty for Livingston, N. J.-based Jarmel Kizel, which is one of the state’s largest and most well-established architecture and engineering firms, and is known for providing one-stop shopping for architecture, engineering and interior design services.

In addition, to Bocconi, Jarmel Kizel has also recently provided architecture and engineering services for Carmine’s Restaurant in Livingston, N.J.; and T.G.I. Friday’s in the Bronx.

About Jarmel Kizel Architects & Engineers, Inc.
Headquartered in Livingston, N.J., Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers, Inc. is a full-service integrated architecture, engineering, interior design and energy consulting firm serving a distinguished client base of commercial and residential real estate companies, and a myriad of corporations throughout the Northeast.  The company employs registered architects, interior designers, professional engineers, LEED-AP professionals and technical support personnel that provide clients with a single source for all of their facility needs from architectural design, interior design, structural, MEP and civil engineering, to energy solutions and product procurement management services.  For more information, contact the company’s Livingston headquarters at 973.994.9669 or visit www.jarmelkizel.com.