A year and a half after starting work on an 800-square-foot pizza shop next to Parcel 5, Salvatore's Pizza is abandoning its plans for a fast-casual restaurant downtown. The pizza chain will not open the location at 245 E Main St. at the site of the former Midtown Plaza, said Salvatore "SoccerSam" Fantauzzo.

"We love the location but it's going to be tough to make the numbers work," Fantauzzo said. "We decided to move in a different direction right now."

Given the current mandates on small businesses in the state, Fantauzzo said he will not open any new pizzerias in the near future.

The location was being renovated to fit Salvatore’s newest and future franchise concept called Speedy Slice. Gallina Development, owner of the building that also houses the Democrat and Chronicle, will now try to lease the restaurant site with some of the construction work already completed. The location is at the corner of East Main Street and Cortland Street adjacent to Parcel 5.

A new proposal for a performing arts center, announced two weeks ago, took the focus off of Parcel 5 and instead would raze the downtown Rochester Riverside Hotel at 120 E. Main St. to build a riverside theater site, hotel and retail complex.

MCHAO@Gannett.com