Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Custom Glass employees, from left, Al Stevens, Ben Atack and Javier Flores install a ceiling panel in the roof of the atrium at the Station Grille Wednesday.
A new, glass-roofed atrium is scheduled to open for lunch today at the Station Grille, 1105 S. Carson St. The area had been a walled-in outdoor patio, but owners decided to cover it.
"We wanted to be able to use it year-round," said manager Carole Conklin.
With tiled floors, stucco walls and wrought-iron light fixtures, the 74-seat atrium has a look the designer calls "Tuscan" It required all-new construction. The old wall along Carson Street was knocked down because it was hollow and wouldn't support the weight of a roof, Conklin said.
The work has taken about three months.
"We started on this right after we finished the bar," she said.
The Tuscan look was continued into the atrium from the bar, which was moved from another part of the building and completed in January. Murals of Mediterranean landscapes in the bar were painted by Carson City artist Lynn Hansen.
The bar was moved from a space now called the "board room," which seats 24.
The general contractor for the atrium project was D.G. Hand Construction of Carson City. One of the largest investments for the room was the glass for the west wall and slanted roof.
"We had to get this super-duper, low-E, tinted stuff (to keep it cool)," Conklin said.
In total the atrium project cost about $175,000, according to owner Clark Russell. Also the owner of the Carson Station and Piñon Plaza casinos, Russell spent about $1 million restoring the Station Grille - then called the Station Grill & Rotisserie - 11 years ago. In January, he spent about $240,000 moving its bar.
Conklin said the restorations are simply a matter of staying current.
"We're just keeping up with the Joneses," she said.
The atrium will be used mostly for additional dining room space, but will be available for private parties.
It will also be home to Friday night jazz starting this week. Bands will vary; this week, it will be the George Hennepin Trio. Before the jazz gets under way at 8 p.m., Duane "Beans" Sousa will play guitar starting at 5 that night. He will also play Tuesday through Saturday nights.
For details, call the Station Grille at 883-8400.
Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.