Hotel may join menu in future, Ken's says
How about a hotel room with your steak dinner? Ken's Steak House owner Tim Hanna said he's considering plans to build an upscale hotel or possibly a small shopping mall attached to his landmark restaurant.
His parents, Ken and Florence, bought the 4.25 acres at 95 Worcester Road for $7,000 in 1941. Over the years they expanded the former McHale's diner from 11 seats to the current Ken's Steak House, which has several function rooms and a roomy lounge.
Hanna hasn't hammered out a formal proposal or sought development permits from the town of Framingham. But he said last week that he'd like to partner with a "name brand" hotel chain and lay the groundwork for a transformation that could occur on the site over the next three to five years.
In addition to the popular steakhouse, the land at 95 Worcester Road also houses another French farmhouse-style building. It was rented to various retailers, including the area's first Borders book store, before it became vacant. Another tenant, Walpole Woodworkers, which makes outdoor garden furniture and children's swing sets, rents space behind Ken's.
There have been massive changes on the section of Route 9 that Ken's occupies, including the arrival of
Still, if Hanna has his way, there will always be Ken's Steak House on the property, although it may shrink from its current 650-seat size.
"I have always thought of this as my father's restaurant. I'm just filling in during his absence," said Hanna. "The only change will be a positive redevelopment of the space."
ERICA NOONAN 