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

De Pasquale is well known in Boston as founder of several upscale eateries. The chef lists 21 such launches, including current 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 years later before being replaced by Umbria in 2004.

The trust that owns 295 Franklin St. was established in July 1993 by Gateman and William Deyesso, a strip club operator and former partner with De Pasquale in another venture. De & De Restaurant Management. It is unclear when Deyesso was replaced by De Pasquale as a trustee of 295 Franklin St. Realty Trust, or whether the two have any existing business relationships. Gateman is best known locally for owning the Nick's Comedy Stop entertainment chain. Given the silence, it was unclear to gauge what will become of Umbria and the Ultra Lounge, or who besides De Pasquale has an ownership stake in those enterprises. Another entity, Bricco Realty LLC, was formed last September by De Pasquale and his wife, Deborah De Pasquale.