Short Hills, New Jersey: There will soon be a restaurant again at a local golf course.
Johnny's on the Green, a restaurant on the premises of the East Orange Golf Course in the Short Hills, closed its doors back in 2012, and the course, located in a remote section of Millburn Township near East Orange's water supply source and the Livingston border, has been without a restaurant in recent years. In 2014, East Orange city officials announced plans to demolish Johnny's on the Green, renovate the 91-year-old course, and build a new 6,000 square foot clubhouse with a restaurant. Although part of the course reopened in 2015, construction continued through 2016 on the new clubhouse, described as "state of the art" by East Orange Mayor Lester E. Taylor, III during his State of the City address last week.
Now, the clubhouse is slated to open in late spring of this year. The new restaurant on the property will be called Par 440 Restaurant and Lounge, named for the course's location at 440 Parsonage Hill Road. East Orange Public Information Officer Connie Jackson told Essex County Place that Mario LaVecchia of South Orange's Above Restaurant will operate Par 440. The City of East Orange entered into a license agreement with Team LaVecchia, LLC in May, 2016, according to city records.
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