SAINT PAUL, Minn. (August 16, 2016) – Kaskaid Hospitality, owner and operator of CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar and other popular restaurants, as well as a full-service catering company, ultra lounge, and event center, has agreed to open a full-service restaurant at Union Depot in the Head House space formerly occupied by Christos. The restaurant will be the second location for the popular Union Bar & Grill concept and will provide full lunch and dinner service, as well as grab-and-go offerings. Breakfast service may be added in the future, as well as outdoor seating on the east end of the North Plaza during warm weather months. The restaurant is expected to open in the first quarter of 2017.

The company’s Crave Catering division will be the exclusive catering provider to Union Depot by providing catering services for events hosted at Union Depot. The catering breakfast, lunch, and dinner options will include box lunches, buffet and plated meals for events at the venue. Crave has been a preferred vendor at Union Depot since 2013. Their repertoire at the station has included weddings, galas and dinners. Kaskaid Hospitality’s Crave Catering will help expand the corporate and non-profit event business, as well as weddings. The historic and majestic Union Depot provides the perfect backdrop to Crave’s gift for leading the local market with creative, high-quality food and exceptional catered events.

Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, which owns Union Depot, began seeking proposals for the restaurant space in spring 2016. The proposals were reviewed based on criteria of experience, personnel qualifications, business plan, marketing plan, and cost. “Kaskaid Hospitality will bring a vibrant energy to Union Depot,” said Rafael E. Ortega, chair, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority. “We are excited that the restaurant menu and catering operation are being designed to meet the unique needs of Union Depot patrons, many of whom are travelers, but also include Lowertown residents, event attendees and visitors to the station.”

Kaskaid Hospitality signed a five-year agreement with a five-year renewal option. Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority will handle renovation of the space, and Kaskaid Hospitality will assist with the design and specifications of the new restaurant.

“We are thrilled to have CRAVE Catering selected as the exclusive caterer at Union Depot. In addition to taking over the catering operations, we’ll be opening a second location of our successful Union Bar & Grill. We feel this concept with its diversified and casual menu is the perfect fit for Union Depot,” said Kam Talebi, co-owner of Kaskaid Hospitality. “We’re incredibly honored to be involved in the next chapter of this exciting, beautiful, and historical property.” In addition to the CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar locations in the Twin Cities and other markets, Kaskaid Hospitality, owned by brothers Kam and Keyvan Talebi, operates other restaurants and lounges including, UNION Rooftop Restaurant, Union Bar & Grill, BLVD Kitchen & Bar, Burger Burger, Avenida Cocina & Bar, and REV Ultra Lounge. The company also operates Muse Event Center in downtown Minneapolis. For more information about Kaskaid Hospitality and the new restaurant, please visit www.kaskaidhospitality.com.

The recent opening of The Java Express, operated by Crystal Scott, at Union Depot has provided visitors with a daily coffee, baked goods and sandwich option. The Java Express will move to the northwest corner of the Head House later in the fall after improvements are completed and will continue providing a coffee shop experience for visitors to Union Depot.

About UNION DEPOT... The beautifully renovated Union Depot is one of American’s great rail stations from the early 20th century. Celebrating 90 years since its completion in 1926, Union Depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and certified LEED® Gold in 2014. Today, it is a welcoming destination for all and serves as a major transportation center and dynamic event venue in the heart of the Twin Cities. Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority owns Union Depot which offers a full complement of transportation services: Amtrak®, Green Line, Jefferson Lines, Greyhound, megabus.com, Metro Transit and MVTA buses, car sharing (Zipcar), and parking - including electric vehicle charging and bicycle storage. The Regional Railroad Authority is dedicated to a long-range vision that addresses changing transportation needs by preserving rail transit corridors for future transit use, studying transit options and providing transit services. JLL, under contract with the Regional Railroad Authority, is responsible for management of Union Depot and working collaboratively to establish a welcoming community gathering place at the historic landmark. For more information, go to uniondepot.org.

About JLL… JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a professional services and investment management firm offering specialized real estate services to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying and investing in real estate. A Fortune 500 company with annual fee revenue of $5.2 billion and gross revenue of $6.0 billion, JLL has more than 280 corporate offices, operates in more than 80 countries and has a global workforce of more than 60,000. On behalf of its clients, the firm provides management and real estate outsourcing services for a property portfolio of 4.0 billion square feet, or 372 million square meters, and completed $138 billion in sales, acquisitions and finance transactions in 2015. Its investment management business, LaSalle Investment Management, has $59.1 billion of real estate assets under management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit www.jll.com.

Media Contacts: Cathy Kennedy, Cathryn Kennedy Consulting, 612-309-3951

Pam McCarthy-Kern, Cathryn Kennedy Consulting, 612-360-0647