Oliver's to Put New Twist on Erie Dining

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Scott Enterprises is making accommodations for the Commodore. In fact, the Erie-based hospitality group has reserved the entire roof of its newly opened Hampton Inn & Suites (130 E. Front St.) for his arrival this October. 

Oliver's Rooftop Restaurant and Bar will be the first of its kind in the Gem City, offering stunning views of the bayfront from eight stories up — not quite high enough for a gander at Trinidad (where restaurant eponym Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry perished), but certainly high enough to see through to the Canadian shore on a clear day. And on those special occasions when the weather is cooperating, a retractable glass wall will allow diners to enjoy their vantage point on the restaurant's balcony under open skies. Even when it's not, patrons will still savor their steaks, seafood, and chef-made delicacies surrounded by 10-foot-tall glass windows.

Oliver's and the Hampton Inn & Suites Erie Bayfront represent the $22 million first phase of Scott Enterprise's $160 million Harbor Place development. Once completed, Harbor Place will encompass a second waterfront restaurant, office space, a parking garage, an extended stay hotel, a skating rink (!), retail shops, water fountains, and condominiums and apartments. The project hopes to cement Eries waterfront as an area where people work, play, and generally live. It's the culmination of 20 years of research, explained Chris N. Scott, vice president of Scott Enterprises. 

Says father and President Nick Scott Sr.: "The opening of this Hampton Inn & Suites is just the beginning of our company's vision to transform this section of Erie's Bayfront into a mixed-use development project which is the ideal place to live, work, and play. Our team has put an immense amount of effort into the development of this hotel and towards our long-term vision for Harbor Place. We're proud of the work our employees have done to bring this project to life." 

If we'd Hazard to guess, Oliver's (and the rest of this) will go over "Perry" well. 

Matt Swanseger is the copy editor at the Reader and author of its most egregious puns. He can be reached at mswanseger@eriereader.com