Boccaccio was one of the premier restaurants in an area that needs more premier restaurants and reinvestment. My visits to Little Italy in recent years have made me think the area and its restaurants have been sitting on their laurels. They greatly benefited from the revitalization of the Inner Harbor -- even though some restaurant operators were opposed at the time. They thought nearby competition would drain business. In fact, the crowds at the Inner Harbor revitalized Little Italy.

As people on Elizabeth Large's blog have suggested, Peter Angelos may be buying the Boccaccio building for sentimental reasons. He was a frequent patron. Whatever his motivation, it's good to see he's interested. He may open a restaurant, although his restaurant record is uneven. But no matter what he does, he brings new investment to an area that could use it.