Seahorse slowly emerging downtown

Springfield artist Dean Bracy is working on a new piece called Seahorse. It's not a typical work, though. Bracy's canvas is the building at 310 South Ave.

Building owner Michael Ngo is leaving his downtown sea-food restaurant plans in the hands of Bracy.

"That's one of the beauties of the project it's going to be an evolutionary process," Bracy said of the Seahorse restaurant. "It's just a blank canvas, and that's ideal from my perspective. The possibilities are so much greater and the limitations are so much less."

So far, the building that was for many years Evelyn's Shoes has been gutted, and several decorative pieces have been created for it. Most importantly to both Ngo and Bracy, the restaurant's focal point and namesake a sand-etched glass design of a sea horse and coral reef is complete. The entrance of the 2,600-square-foot restaurant will feature the glass sea horse, which will hover above a pool of water with a waterfall cascading behind it.

"As you come in, it will be very visual," Bracy said. The artist's touch will not stop there either.

Bracy has designed two other sea horse creations. One is a stained-glass piece and the other, of carved metal, will top the building facade and be outlined with neon lights.

Bracy also plans for an eye-catching fireplace in the dining area. He said it will resemble "the reverse side of a scallop shell" and the flames will be inverted below the floor so only a few inches of the flame will show from inside the shell.

Other features will include a domed ceiling and an area for a piano to provide a "soft music background," Ngo said. Also, the two have discussed scattering images of other ocean creatures, such as sea turtles and sting rays, throughout the restaurant.

Ngo is not in a rush to finish the 67-seat establishment, and he has not set a completion date. His emphasis is on quality rather than timing, he said.

"That's what makes the difference between a very good project and an exceptional project," Bracy said. "Michael understands the process, what we're looking for. We have good communication as to what we want the final product to be, what kind of atmosphere and so on and so forth."

The two have decided on an atmosphere that Bracy describes as, "casual elegance," similar to Bijan's and Clary's in Springfield.

"My responsibility will be to make the general populace very comfortable when they walk through the door," Bracy said. "Someplace where people can congregate, enjoy themselves and be in very nice surroundings, yet very comfortable."

Ngo said that the emphasis of the menu will be on seafood. He does not have all the items selected yet, but it will be something "everyone can enjoy."

One thing that is certain is Ngo's experience in the restaurant business.

"I know restaurants," said Ngo (pronounced "know"), laughing at his own pun.

His family has been in the restaurant business since 1983 and owns six Chinese restaurants in town: Imperial Restaurant & Lounge, Jade Garden, Hunan Garden and three Jade East locations. Ngo said he started working with his family in the seventh grade.

"I started helping my family out with cooking, cashier, everything," he said.

The Ngo family also owns the Imperial Plaza, which is under construction near the corner of Battlefield and Campbell.

When the Seahorse is open, Ngo said he'll operate it as a manager and owner, and will hire a professional staff to run it in his absence. He anticipates hiring five servers and four to work in the kitchen.

This is Ngo's first downtown development. Both owner and artist want to help give downtown Springfield a new look and revive the business community.

"It will be nice, kind of bring downtown back to life," Ngo said. "It will make people go Wow, it looks better now here.'"

Bracy said he's been part of a revitalization before in cities like Phoenix and San Diego. "I've worked in other markets and seen that magic happen where a particular restaurant, or a particular feature, or a couple (businesses) playing off of each other have gone into blighted areas and ten years later it was just magic what happened," he said. "We feel the contribution to the community and the downtown area is going to be very positive."