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A crowded Cafe Eccell served customers late into the evening Monday as though it was just a normal shift rather than it being the eve of when -- according to the new property owners -- it contractually will be required to vacate the building on Church Street.

While the restaurant's attorney said his clients aren't going anywhere until a court orders it, Houston developer Asset Plus Realty Corp. closed a $2.97 million deal with College Station city officials, who said the renters have known for almost a year that the sale was in the works to turn the land into student housing.

Negotiations have been ongoing for two years between the developer and the city, which announced in 2012 that it wanted to get out of the business of renting property. The Eagle late Monday confirmed with both parties that the paperwork had been signed and, starting Tuesday, Asset Plus is the new owner of the 3.36 acres that includes the cafe, a parking lot and vacant field.

The move, according to the terms of the contract, had to be done by Friday, which means brothers Costa and Andreas Dallis have a new landlord as they face the midnight Tuesday deadline to move out of the business they've operated for 15 years.