Vivace Restaurant owner Daniel Scordato plans to open another restaurant in St. Philip's Plaza at North Campbell Avenue and East River Road.
Vivace Pizzeria will open in late April, he said.
No pasta will appear on the menu — just appetizers, salads and about 10 medium- and thin-crust pizzas that will range in price from $11 to $15.
"It's the little things," said Scordato, 51. "It's not going to be some exotic frog-leg pizza. Everyone likes quality ingredients, but not everyone's interested in really exotic things. I like perfecting a simple dish."
Scordato signed a seven-year lease about two weeks ago to parallel the lease of the upscale Italian restaurant Vivace.
"I thought this was a perfect opportunity," Scordato said — even in this economy. "Our business is only off 3 percent. The first thing people are going to cut back on is the very expensive restaurant. We have very good value for what you get."
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The pizzeria, 4280 N. Campbell Ave., will be in the former home of 58 Degrees and Holding Co., which closed in August.
Remodeling has begun on the 2,700-square-foot space, which will have a full bar, four dining areas and an outdoor patio. Occupancy will be about 80 inside and 30 outside. A Wood Stone oven that can bake up to a dozen pizzas at once is being built.
"It's going to be a totally different thing — it's not going to be a cheaper version of Vivace," said Scordato.
Neighbors in St. Philip's Plaza offered support for the venture.
"We welcome them to the Plaza, and I hope they do well," said Albert Hall, executive chef and owner of Acacia, an upscale eclectic restaurant that opened in November 2004. "We look forward to another restaurant in the plaza."
Scordato's nephew, Justin Fitzsimmons, 24, moved here from Portland, Ore., to serve as the head pizza maker.
Dr. Robert Selby, a dermatologist who owns St. Philip's Plaza with his wife, Kristine, said he's excited to add a different restaurant to the mix. "This gives us the ability to offer fast-casual dining, which balances us out a lot more," he said.
Scordato's other restaurant, Vivace, celebrated its 16th birthday Wednesday. Vivace moved to St. Philip's Plaza eight years ago.
While Vivace will retain Scordato's main focus, he said he couldn't pass up the opportunity to open Vivace Pizzeria.
"I've spent 36 years in business now," he said. "I feel I know the market even though I've misjudged it a couple of times."
One misjudgment was Daniel's, a restaurant he opened in 1986 in Plaza Palomino. He sold it in 1990 and left the restaurant in 1992.