Italian restaurant remains vacant; pottery studio moves to south Carson

The sunken building that once housed a well-known downtown Italian restaurant is up for sale.

The building is listed for $699,000 by owner Silvana Borselli, who operated the upscale yet low-profile Silvana's restaurant for 19 years. She sold the business to a mother-daughter team in February 2005 who weren't able to make a profit, said Dennis Smith, listing Realtor with Coldwell Banker Commercial.

The most distinctive aspect of the building is that it was constructed beneath the ground, so only the roof can be seen to the traffic passing by on Carson Street. The oft-remarked "half-building" has windows that are inches above the street and canopies just above the sidewalk.

The 2,290-square-foot building has several people interested, but no offers yet, Smith said. It remains as another empty building in a the high-traffic area of downtown Carson City.

"It's downtown general commercial, but it's suited preferably for a restaurant," he said. "The infrastructure was put in to allow for a second story to be added."

The price was marked down from $740,000 in the six months it's been on the market because the owners are eager to sell and do some traveling, Smith said.

"It's got about 18 parking spaces and sits on one-fifth of an acre."

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Joy and Rob Hartman are opening a new paint-your-own pottery studio in South Carson City near the old Wal-Mart.

This is their second attempt at running a pottery painting studio after having difficulties at their former 328 E. Winnie Lane location. Joy Hartman said the new location has better foot traffic.

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. is also located in the Eagle Station shopping center.

"We're hoping to open Sept. 1 depending on contractors and permitting," Joy Harman said Tuesday.

I Paint for Joy will open at 4125 S. Carson St. beside GNC. The 2,200-square-foot spot is managed by Eden Management.

Shelly Aldean, a city supervisor who is a partner in Eden Management, said she is pleased to welcome the Hartmans.

"We think they are going to be a great addition to the shopping center," she said. "And Joy told me there are other retailers who have waited to find out where they are going to be relocating to so they can find a nearby spot. So maybe this will be an opportunity to get other tenants."

But that's not in the old Wal-Mart. Aldean said the situation with Max Baer Jr. and his casino has not changed.

The proposed Jethro's Beverly Hillbillies Mansion and Casino development in the old Wal-Mart is on hiatus because several shopping center tenants don't want the former Hollywood star to open a casino in the anchor building. The building has been vacant of a commercial tenant since Wal-Mart moved out in 2002. The Carson City Republican Headquarters occupies what used to be the vision center.

Hartman plans to start special events for children and adults. Log on to www.ipaintforjoy.com in the future for information. She also plans to begin glass fusing, which is a technique for making jewelry.

• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.