Elevation of Hole in the Wall, a proposed restaurant on Gwynn’s Island, began on Saturday, March 18, and by Sunday, March 19, the building was up on pallets and ready for construction to begin.

Gabor Tarjan of Ace House Movers said he elevated the roof and walls on one side and just the roof on the other side. The business owners will arrange to have the remaining cinderblock foundation demolished and a new foundation installed, he said.

Mathews County Administrator Mindy Conner said the cinderblock would not be reused.

The building, formerly the Seabreeze Restaurant, is owned by Mathews County, but local restaurateurs Mac Casale and Dean Tsamouras have a lease agreement to establish a new restaurant there. The agreement involves the men investing at least $138,000 in capital improvements to the property, including elevating it out of the flood plain, before reopening it as a restaurant.

Tarjan said his company had elevated a number of homes in Mathews for...