Cohoes

Smith's of Cohoes, the downtown landmark restaurant that was damaged during last month's devastating blaze on Remsen Street, hopes to reopen next Monday, owner Joe Hostig said.

Restoration crews have been working since the Nov. 30 fire, scrubbing floors and walls, replacing water-damaged plaster and refinishing the woodwork. The lengthy bar this week is being touched up and will get a seal coat of polyurethane.

"We're getting all shined up, cleaned up," Hostig said. The restaurant will be inspected, and if all goes as planned, employees will begin making sauces and preparing food over the weekend for the Monday opening.

"We're placing food orders to have the food come in at the end of the week," Hostig said Monday afternoon. He's hoping for a good opening-day crowd and said the staff "can't wait" to get back to work.

Hostig said he's tried to pay his staff, and a busy opening day would be "a good thing. My pockets are empty."

Farther south on Remsen, closer to the origin of the blaze, several buildings across the street remain boarded up, while the remains of the three buildings destroyed in the blaze have been largely cleared.

The blaze, in dry conditions with gusty winds, affected 30 buildings, including the building next to Smith's that houses the Yuan Sushi restaurant, which had fire damage on the second and third floors.

While it's not clear when Yuan Sushi might reopen, Hostig is looking forward to next Monday.

"We've made great strides from what it was," Hostig said, adding he's "very excited about pulling the trigger to reopen."