HAVERHILL — The downtown restaurant row is about to grow, as a building that has been vacant for five years becomes home to an expanding eatery.

The popular George's restaurant, which has been drawing diners to its small downtown location since 2003, is moving to the historic Vault building in the heart of Washington Street.

George's, owned and operated by Peter and Lisa Polasek at 130 Washington St., the western end of downtown, will move to 77 Washington St. Fred Habeeb, who bought the Vault at that location a few months ago and has been busy with renovations since then, said the new George's at the Vault should be up and running by Nov. 1.

"This can only mean good things for Haverhill," said William Pillsbury, economic development director for the city. "The more restaurants, the better. People come to Haverhill to go to George's."

The capacity at the current George's is about 55, including the bar, said Lisa Polasek.

"You're looking at it," she said Friday afternoon during an interview at the restaurant. At the three-story Vault, they'll be able to serve at least 130 people, she said.

The quarter-mile stretch of downtown Washington Street has been dubbed restaurant row, with several eateries moving there or expanding in recent years.

The area has 11 eateries ranging from full-fledged restaurants to a bake shop that has a couple of tables where people can sit down to eat.

George's at the Vault — located in a building constructed in 1882 — will have dining on the first and second floors and a lounge on the third floor where there will be music and dancing. The bar for the lounge will measure 26 by 13 feet.

George's now employs eight people, besides the Polaseks. They expect to have 30 employees in their new quarters.

"We're very excited. We've worked hard all our lives," said Lisa Polasek, who grew up in Groveland, graduated from Pentucket Regional High School in 1982 and was Lisa Ford before she married her husband. "We feel it will be a great addition to the downtown."

She also said she and her husband are ready "personally and professionally" for the big move.

The Polaseks boast many years of experience in the restaurant business. Peter Polasek, who left his native Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) in 1979, spent a few months in Vienna and then came to the United States, has been a chef — often at the executive level — for 30 years. He was trained at the Prague Culinary Academy in his homeland.

Lisa Polasek has 25 years of experience in the business and a degree in food and beverage management from San Francisco Community College.

"We offer progressive American cuisine," she said. "A little bit of everything. We range from homemade wonton vegetable raviolis to rack of lamb. We have spectacular appetizers and soups du jour. Peter is known for his phenomenal soups and sauces. ... He's been cooking all his life."

Peter Polasek, who was executive chef at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco for 10 years — it was in San Francisco where he met the "beautiful young American girl" who became his wife — said the expanded menu for George's at the Vault is "99 percent complete."

"It will be a nice menu, high end. Fresh ingredients, the best seafood," he said. He also promises a "one-of-a-kind Sunday brunch" and valet parking.

George's at the Vault will not cater to a rowdy crowd, both Polaseks said.

"We want to serve sophisticated adults," Lisa Polasek said.

George's at the Vault will be the Polaseks' third restaurant. Before moving to Haverhill, they operated Peter's Place in San Rafael, Calif. George's was their second and George's at the Vault will be the third.

"We've never failed," she said.

As for the available space at 130 Washington St., Lisa Polasek said, "We're hoping that another restaurant comes in here." She said the space is on the market but declined to say who the owner is.

"We're excited," said James Jajuga, president of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. "This is another notch in Haverhill's belt."

Jajuga said he is not sure who will occupy the space now used by George's, but the Chamber will be willing to help find a new tenant.

"I think we're moving in the right direction," Jajuga said.

A Haverhill native who represented the city in the state Senate for slightly more than a decade, Jajuga said because of the increasing number of restaurants, "a lot more people are coming downtown." The increasing number of condominiums in the downtown helps the restaurants, he said.

"It's a win-win." Jajuga said.