Hunan East sells after a decade on market

SPRINGFIELD — A Steubenville restaurant owner has purchased the former Hunan East Chinese restaurant building after it sat vacant and on the market for 10 years.

Chen Tian-Yi, owner of Chinese Gourmet in Steubenville, purchased the building at 1460 Upper Valley Pike on Dec. 14 for $135,000. He will reopen the restaurant as a Japanese steak house after major renovations to the 5,000 square-foot building.

“We’ve had the Steubenville restaurant for five years. This is going to be our second restaurant,” Chen said. “A friend told me about (the building). It’s very old and in bad shape but the location is really good.

“It will take probably six to nine months to get it reopened.”

The restaurant will have eight habachi-grill tables, suitable for individuals as well a parties, birthdays and anniversary celebrations, he said. “It will be totally different from other Japanese restaurants in the area.”

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