By Jill Harmacinski
jharmacinski@eagletribune.com
October 05, 2008 01:18 am LAWRENCE, Mass. — For lovers of hot dogs and history, the marquis hanging next to Lawton's Famous Frankfurters downtown is somewhat chilling. "Moving Bldg. Need a lot," it reads. There's a tug of war going on for the building that houses Lawton's at Canal Street and Broadway. At the heart of the battle is who really owns the 79-year-old building. Scott and Joanne Curley, who purchased Lawton's two years ago, say they have proof of ownership for both the "real estate and business." But Michael Graffeo, manager of Lawton Landing Realty LLC, said the building and the property it's sitting on belong to him. Vincent Manzi, Graffeo's lawyer, said the Curleys are free to move the hot dog business elsewhere if they want. But they can't take the Lawton's building with them. Manzi recently put city officials on notice that the Curleys have no right to remove, relocate or demolish the building. But Scott Curley isn't so sure. When he and his wife purchased Lawton's in 2006 for $125,000, he said, he bought the building, the equipment and even "the secret hot dog cooking recipe." He said he has a bill of sale and a title search was conducted. "The bank would have never given me the loan if I hadn't bought the building," he said. "If I go, that building is coming with me." Amid the dispute, the Curleys are shopping for a new location for the landmark restaurant. Lawton's originally opened in 1929. The Curleys, of Methuen, are its seventh owners. The small restaurant, perched on the edge of the North Canal, was constructed right over a sidewalk. A fire hydrant is located inside. The restaurant is a hot spot for not only hot dogs, but also barbecue chicken and lobster rolls. "Everyone loves to come to the place," said Curley, 48, who grew up on East Boxford Street in Lawrence. He remembers stopping at Lawton's as a kid "dressed in my trick-or-treating costume." But times have changed, and the Curleys now feel the restaurant could be even more successful in another location. "We might be better off in another place with more parking and more seating," Curley said. He and his wife are now eyeing possible sites off Marston Street, Essex Street, Broadway, and even across the north canal at the former Manzi car dealership on Broadway. Curley also hasn't ruled out leaving town. Cooks from the former Bishops restaurant in downtown Lawrence left the city and opened the Phoenician in Salem, he noted. He also pointed to the Cedar Crest, a longtime Broadway restaurant. "If the Cedar Crest moved, I think everyone would follow them," Curley said. Customer reaction to the idea of a move has been varied, he said, with some sad about the possibility of Lawton's leaving its longtime home. Others admit they don't stop there as often as they used to because parking is so tight, he said. "I'm weighing my options right now," said Curley, noting that the move is a hot topic downtown. "Everybody is walking through the door and asking what's going on." While they believe they own the building itself, the Curleys acknowledge that they have never owned the 606 Canal St. land the restaurant sits on. They are now three years into a five-year lease for the property. But Manzi said the "detailed lease agreement" specifically states that the Curleys are leasing the property and the building, which per the agreement, they must leave in good condition. If the couple attempts to move or demolish the Lawton's building, they will face legal action, he said. City leaders said they are aware of the legal dispute. And without taking sides, they said they are intent on keeping Lawton's in the city. "From the city's position, this is a historical landmark," said Thomas Schiavone, acting chief economic development officer. "We, at the city level, certainly want to see Lawton's continue to operate in Lawrence."
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