After some probable bad news for Broadway’s commercial activity, how about some great news? The Yeti Bar is set to get even bigger and get its own space. Broadway favorite Annapurna has confirmed it will be expanding upstairs to the sidewalk level with a new bar and waiting space for the popular, family-run Nepali, Indian, and Tibetan restaurant.

The new Annapurna expansion will take over the space left empty by the exit of King’s Teriyaki in summer of 2013. We don’t know a target date for opening the new space but the $50,000-base construction permit has been approved and the work is moving forward.

The investment is good news for Annapurna as the restaurant moves into its teens after a few years struggling with the challenges of neighboring the Capitol Hill Station construction zone. The challenges came to a head earlier this year as work began to dig a pedestrian tunnel beneath Broadway — work that all but hid Annapurna behind a plywood construction wall.

Sound Transit eventually responded with marketing assistance that helped Annapurna make it over the hump. The transit agency also found itself in the interesting position of trying to help market the empty teriyaki shop to a new tenant as part of an agreement forged with the building’s owner. Earlier, Peet’s Coffee also exited the building.

The new Annapurna space will help the veteran restaurant better keep up with the growing flock of venues in the area offering craft cocktails and high-margin booze. It’s a move we’ve seen with most businesses who stick around with Ayutthaya’s bar upgrade one relatively recent example. You’ll also get enjoy expanded Yeti Bar offerings including safron-infused vodka cocktails like the “Everest Base Camp” and “Hot Night in Kathmandu.”

Like most things involving warm, comfortable favorites on Capitol Hill, there’s a shadow of the future looming over this particular pocket of Broadway happiness. Developers have been preparing plans for a relatively small, 50-unit apartment building on the land for a few years now. At this point — unlike a project across the street that we’ll tell you more about soon — there is no sign the project is going forward anytime soon. But you’ll want to make sure to enjoy plenty of Hot Nights in Kathmandu (Hot Night in Kathmandus?) while you can.

Annapurna is located at 1833 Broadway. You can learn more at annapurnacafe.com.