Here's a peek at The Chariot, Totowa's new colossal party venue. 'There's nothing like it'

The Chariot, an events venue in the final stages of construction at the top of a hill in Totowa, is a sight to behold.

It's clear to anyone who catches even just a glimpse of its bright gold-accented facade behind the black and gold wrought iron fence, that years and millions of dollars have been invested in the facility.

Paul Qassis, the man who turned the former three-story headquarters for the Ottilio construction company on Preakness Avenue into a six-story restaurant and catering facility with a stunning view, said he invested 10 years and $45 million in the project. He said he's been "all in" and is just waiting for a certificate of occupancy to open the doors.

"There's nothing like it," he said during a recent tour of the sprawling facility, which officially is located in Totowa but touches the Paterson and Haledon borders. "I sold my other restaurants, my real estate properties, cashed in my 401(k), the 529 (education fund), my shore house" to fund the Chariot, Qassis said.

The facility will accommodate up to 600 people in the restaurant, catering hall and rooftop bar. It will also have parking for 300 vehicles.

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The terrace area and windows will offer a view of the cities and towns below and surrounding vistas of Garret Mountain and a bit of the Manhattan skyline.

The Chariot - 10 years in the making

Qassis said he was working for a local bank when he became interested in the Ottillio property.

"It sat on the market for a number of years," he said before he bought it in 2013 under the newly formed Fortress Holdings and originally planned to invest $20 million in the project.

He was before Totowa's Zoning Board numerous times in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2021 — each time amending the plan. The height of the building and the number of parking spaces increased. The interior became more grand with sweeping staircases, multiple bars and other amenities meant to be eye-catching, such as the many statutes, terraces and grand water fountains.

The fountains are beautiful as well as functional. For example, in the rear of the property, he added extensive stormwater holding tanks below ground with a picturesque watercourse above the ground. There, the water runoff from the steep slopes is collected in a giant pipe and is filtered through a rocky-strewn stream before it runs under the terrace-topped culvert.

It is designed as the perfect place to take photos and enjoy a drink al fresco with the sound of trickling water in the background.

"During the recent storms, not one problem," Qassis said of the water runoff.

Local officials said they have not had any complaints about the water in the area since before the construction. Before the water storage tanks were installed, residents, many of them from Paterson, complained about the volume of water cascading down the side of the hills in that area.

"People don't generally come out to tell us what a good job we are doing," Totowa Mayor John Coiro said, adding he has been keeping an eye on the work, and said it's obvious that a lot of time and money has gone into the project. "We wish him the very best."

Despite all the improvements, Qassis said he's still waiting for a certificate of occupancy, temporary or permanent. Once he receives the certificate to open, he said he can be ready and operating in about two months.

Municipal records show Fortress Holdings is paying just under $60,000 in property taxes. Once the project is completed, the municipality will reassess the property.

Little surprises hidden among the grounds

For more than 50 years, the contemporary-looking building that overlooks Paterson and Totowa housed the Ottililo demolition company and it attracted lots of attention with its hodgepodge of salvaged curiosities including a giant metal rope fence and massive columns.

Quassis took some of the "oddities" or interesting pieces that once adorned the building and property and incorporated them into his project.

He kept the golden front doors from the previous building that originally came from the old Paramount Theater in Manhattan. A second set of doors, salvaged by Ottilio's, came from the Vatican via the 1964 New York World's Fair. The oversized metal chain that lined the front of the property has been painted and installed on the side of the property, along with other carvings and signs.

"In tribute to the original building I incorporated as much as possible," Qassis said.

Along with the old, Qassis incorporated some new adornments, including a shiny gold sculpture of a chariot holding a rider pulled by four shiny horses facing Preakness Avenue. It sits on top of the entrance roof.

The chariot sculpture, Qassis said, may have to come down. It was not part of the original or updated plans and may require another trip to the zoning board for approval.

The Chariot faced lots of issues

The plan was to open the Chariot during the summer of 2023, but getting the needed approvals to obtain a certificate of occupancy proved to be a struggle, Qassis said.

A chef was hired and "a wedding booked last June," Qassis said. He said a to-do list from Totowa's Building Department was checked off and he thought he was ready to open.

Allan Burkhardt, Totowa's construction official, said he couldn't go into detail about the property because of potential litigation, but did discuss one issue that stands in the way of the venue's opening — a firetruck can't make the turn to access the lower portion of the property.

To resolve that issue, Qassis said he added access to the lower portion from Berkshire Avenue in Paterson.

While much of the property is in Totowa, including the entire six-story structure, the lower parking lots and watercourse are in Paterson.

Paterson officials said Qassis went before the city's planning board to get the requisite approval to use the Berkshire Avenue gate as an emergency location. "He should be done with us," Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said. "I wish him well."

The good news, Qassis said, is that if he gets the approvals soon, he can operate for the second half of the summer. He will have to haul much of the construction debris and other items from the property and hire and train staff before he can be up and running, he said.

There are three kitchens on the property — a 12,000-square-foot kitchen with massive walk-in baking ovens, a separate kosher kitchen, a rooftop kitchen, complete with a pizza oven, dessert/ice cream making facility, and various bars serving alcohol and coffee. About 100 hires will have to be made once the facility is ready to be opened.

"We are going to make everything on-site," Qassis said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: The Chariot in Totowa is sure to be an event venue like no other in NJ