Months ago, we told you about the possibility of an after-hours club coming into the basement of 1318-20 Chestnut St., the former home of the excellent Mitchell and Ness. From what we’re hearing, that plan appears to be on the outs, but a new project is in the works for this space, according to Michael Klein.

The space

In the window

With a legal name of 1318 Brauhaus Inc, it comes as no surprise that the new tenants here want to open a beer garden concept in this space. Klein says that the operator is Teddy Surias, owner of Finn McCool’s a couple of blocks away. Mr. Surias went before the Washington Square Civic Association back in July.

Meanwhile, just down the street, another dormant commercial space is coming back to life in the coming months. You may recall, we suggested back in January that Italian Bistro, displaced from its original location by a new UArts dining hall, would probably be taking over the former Ted’s Montana Grill location at Broad & Spruce. Now, Michael Klein (again! that man is everywhere) tells us that Italian Bistro will instead relocate to 1339 Chestnut St., most recently a Marathon Grill location (which was forcibly closed late last year for unpaid rent during lunchtime service).

Future Fratelli's Italian Bistro

With both of these new establishments hopefully arriving by the end of the year, and a super-mega-ultra Walgreens coming to the corner, there should be a little more juice on this block very soon. Now if only something exciting would happen to the gorgeous Keystone National Bank building at the corner of Juniper, we’d really be cookin’ with gas.

Somebody! Anybody! Please!