# Restaurants & Hospitality > Quedan Construction builds restaurants, bars, cafes, hotel lobbies and hospitality venues across New York City — from dining room design build-out to hood, gas, grease interceptor, Place of Assembly and Health Department approvals. ## Restaurant construction in New York, from the hood up A great restaurant is a combination of two very different projects. In front of house, it's design: lighting, acoustics, millwork, materials and the bar that becomes the center of the room. In back of house, it's infrastructure: kitchen exhaust to the roof, make-up air, gas service, grease interceptors, walk-ins, fire suppression and electrical capacity. Both have to be right on opening night. Quedan Construction is a **restaurant construction contractor** building **restaurants, bars, cafes, hotel lobbies and hospitality venues** across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Long Island and Westchester. We solve the infrastructure first and build the guest experience on top of it. ### New restaurants and conversions Converting a former retail or office space into a restaurant is one of the most complex interior projects in New York. The deciding question is whether kitchen exhaust can reach the roof. We evaluate exhaust routes, shaft options, rooftop structure, gas and electrical service, and grease interceptor locations before you sign — so you never commit to a space that can't work. ### Second-generation restaurant renovations Existing restaurant spaces can save months, but only if the infrastructure is sound. We inspect existing hoods, ductwork, grease interceptors, gas piping and walk-ins, identify what can be reused, and plan upgrades that meet current code and your new concept. ### Bars, lounges and hotel venues Bars need durable, beautiful construction: custom bar dies and tops, back-bar displays, draft and glycol systems, ice wells and hand sinks, all built to survive heavy nightly use. For hotels, we phase lobby, bar and restaurant renovations around guests and operations, maintaining safe routes and hotel-quality standards throughout. ## Approvals that open restaurants Restaurants in New York need more approvals than almost any other tenant: landlord review, Department of Buildings permits for construction, plumbing, mechanical and gas work, FDNY approval and testing of hood fire suppression, a **Place of Assembly certificate** for venues with 75 or more occupants, **Landmarks Preservation Commission** review for storefronts in historic districts, and the **Department of Health and Mental Hygiene** pre-permit inspection before you can serve. We plan these into the schedule from the first week. Our guide to [building a commercial kitchen in NYC](/insights/building-commercial-kitchen-nyc/) covers the full process. ## Built for service, not just photos We choose finishes, hardware and millwork details that hold up to years of service, cleaning and heavy traffic. When we hand over the keys, your kitchen works, your bar is ready to pour, and your team can focus on training and soft openings — not punch lists. ## Hospitality spaces for every concept - **Full-Service Restaurants:** Dining rooms, open and closed kitchens, private dining and bars with acoustic control, lighting design and custom millwork. - **Bars & Lounges:** Custom bars, back-bar displays, draft and glycol systems, cocktail stations and lounge seating built for heavy daily use. - **Cafes & Bakeries:** Counter-service cafes, coffee bars and bakeries with espresso, refrigeration and baking equipment rough-ins. - **Hotel Lobbies & Bars:** Lobby, bar and restaurant renovations phased around operating hotels with strict guest-experience standards. - **Fast Casual:** High-throughput counter service and fast-casual restaurants built to brand prototype for single sites or rollouts. - **Private Dining & Event Spaces:** Event rooms, private dining and rooftop venues with Place of Assembly approvals, AV and flexible layouts. ## Full-service restaurant construction One team responsible for the dining room your guests see and the infrastructure they never think about. ### Preconstruction - Pre-lease exhaust route and utility evaluations - Kitchen equipment coordination - Budgets and value engineering - Landlord and odor-control requirements - Opening-date-driven schedules ### Front of house - Dining rooms, bars and banquettes - Custom millwork, bar dies and back bars - Lighting, acoustics and finishes - Accessible restrooms and entrances - Storefronts, signage support and outdoor dining ### Back of house & MEP - Type I hoods with fire suppression - Kitchen exhaust, make-up air and odor control - Gas piping and utility upgrades - Grease interceptors, floor sinks and drains - Walk-ins, refrigeration and electrical service ### Approvals & opening - Landlord and Landmarks approvals - DOB permits and inspections - FDNY suppression and fire alarm testing - Place of Assembly certificate - Health Department pre-permit readiness ## From lease to opening night 1. **Space evaluation** — We confirm an exhaust route to the roof, gas and electrical capacity, grease interceptor space and occupancy before you sign. 2. **Design & equipment** — Kitchen equipment plans drive the MEP design. We price the design early and order long-lead hoods, walk-ins and equipment. 3. **Approvals** — Landlord, LPC, DOB, gas and Place of Assembly filings are coordinated in parallel against your opening date. 4. **Construction** — Back-of-house infrastructure first, then front-of-house finishes, with weekly reports and on-site supervision every day. 5. **Inspections & opening** — FDNY suppression testing, DOB sign-offs, Place of Assembly and Health Department readiness — then opening night. ## Restaurant contractor across New York West Village & Greenwich Village, East Village & Lower East Side, SoHo, Nolita & Tribeca, Midtown & Theater District, Chelsea & Flatiron, Upper East & Upper West Side, Williamsburg & Greenpoint, Park Slope & Carroll Gardens, Astoria & Long Island City, Arthur Avenue & The Bronx, Long Island, Westchester. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does it take to open a restaurant in NYC? Plan on roughly 5 to 12 months from lease signing to opening, depending on whether the space is already a restaurant. Approvals, utility upgrades, Landmarks review and Place of Assembly certificates can extend the schedule. ### What is a second-generation restaurant space? A second-generation space was previously used as a restaurant and usually has existing kitchen exhaust, gas, grease interceptor and plumbing infrastructure. Reusing that infrastructure can save significant time and money, but it should be inspected before you sign. ### Do I need a Place of Assembly certificate? In New York City, restaurants and bars where 75 or more people may gather generally need a Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation from the Department of Buildings, along with egress and fire protection that support the posted occupancy. ### Does my restaurant need a grease interceptor? Food service establishments that discharge grease-laden wastewater generally must install and maintain a properly sized grease interceptor under the NYC Plumbing Code and Department of Environmental Protection rules. ### Who approves the kitchen hood fire suppression system? Type I hood fire suppression systems must be designed, installed and tested by qualified contractors and approved by FDNY. We coordinate the installation and acceptance testing as part of the project. ### Can you build a restaurant in a landmark building? Yes. Storefronts, signage, rooftop exhaust equipment and exterior changes in landmark buildings and historic districts require Landmarks Preservation Commission review, which we coordinate with your architect. ### Can you renovate a restaurant or hotel bar that stays open? Yes. We phase work overnight or by zone, maintain safe guest routes, and control dust and noise so the venue can keep operating during construction. ### Do you help with outdoor dining? We can build outdoor dining structures and coordinate with your team on the Department of Transportation's Dining Out NYC program requirements. --- Quedan Construction · (212) 555-0100 · info@quedanconstruction.com · Request a quote: https://quedanconstruction.com/contact/ Canonical: https://quedanconstruction.com/services/restaurant/