Efforts to contact De Pasquale and Gateman were unsuccessful. AColdwell Banker broker tells GlobeSt.com that the restaurateur istraveling in his native Italy until later this week. Calls to DePasquale's establishment yielded a similar response from aspokesman who acknowledges the property is being marketed, butwould not discuss pricing or other aspects. The spokesman alsodeclined a request to provide his name.

De Pasquale is well known in Boston as founder of severalupscale eateries. The chef lists 21 such launches, includingcurrent operations Bricco, Express, Mare and Trattoria Il Panino.The latter establishment was De Pasquale's first haute hotspot,opening in the North End in 1987 and at 295 Franklin St. two yearslater before being replaced by Umbria in 2004.

The trust that owns 295 Franklin St. was established in July1993 by Gateman and William Deyesso, a strip club operator andformer partner with De Pasquale in another venture. De & DeRestaurant Management. It is unclear when Deyesso was replaced byDe Pasquale as a trustee of 295 Franklin St. Realty Trust, orwhether the two have any existing business relationships. Gatemanis best known locally for owning the Nick's Comedy Stopentertainment chain. Given the silence, it was unclear to gaugewhat will become of Umbria and the Ultra Lounge, or who besides DePasquale has an ownership stake in those enterprises. Anotherentity, Bricco Realty LLC, was formed last September by De Pasqualeand his wife, Deborah De Pasquale.