BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The owners of a well known Buffalo restaurant that was destroyed by a fire in November say they're one step closer to rebuilding.
For more than 30 years, Darryl Harvin's mother Blondine had been serving up southern-style soul food on East Ferry Street in Buffalo.
"We are proprietors to the community, be it the political, family, anything in between," said Darryl Harvin. "Everybody knows Gigi's, yep."
Harvin says the fire was the result of a mechanical malfunction and grease fire.
"The fire basically ravaged the restaurant throughout. The demolition has been done from the front to the back. Basically, right now what is left is some beams.
"The walls have been ripped out, the drywall. The counter, the stools, the seats, everything, all the equipment is gone. We are going to be starting over from scratch."
Harvin says although everything inside was lost, the brick building is structurally sound. He says his family plans to meet an architect and general contractor this week to talk about the rebuild.
Harvin says the plan is to not just rebuild but expand the restaurant.
"There'll be a little bit of a different look but the same flow. Eventually, phase-two will be an addition in the back for banquets and small parties to medium-size parties."
Harvin wants to thank the community for the overwhelming support they've received after the fire. He also wants people to know the restaurant was insured but that won't cover the entire cost of the rebuild, which could be as much as $450,000.
Either way, Harvin says he expects construction to start by summer.
"It will happen. I know there's people out there that feel like Gigi's won't come back. We will be back, we will be back."
He says work could begin in two to three months.