After 33 years at the corner of Golden State Boulevard and Olive Avenue, Jura’s Pizza shut its doors at the end of August.

But then, on Wednesday, the downtown classic restaurant reopened in a new, larger space, just a few blocks away at the corner of Mitchell Avenue and North Center Street.

The move was forced by problems with the old building, which Jura’s had occupied since 1979, owner Jura Aghassi said.

“The City of Turlock made me close down,” Aghassi said.

The old building didn’t fully comply with modern codes, Aghassi said. The building owner and Aghassi couldn’t come to terms on upgrading the site, so instead Jura’s Pizza opted to move a few blocks down the street to a much larger venue.

The new restaurant can comfortably seat 140 people, with an outdoor patio seating 30 more. A downstairs catering hall can host large events.

The restaurant occupies the former site of El Antojito, a Mexican restaurant which closed nearly a decade ago. Converting the site to host Jura’s took nearly three months.

Even as of Sept. 4, it was uncertain Jura’s Pizza would make its planned, Sept. 5 opening date. But the eatery finished work in the nick of time – the pizza place opened on the first day of football season, when fans pack the restaurant for wings, pizza, and beer.

Since the reopening, the new restaurant has been packed, Aghassi said. He thanked the crowds for following Jura’s Pizza, especially for busy football Sundays and Monday nights.

While the restaurant still serves the old standards, it adds a lunch menu, too. The new items include a range of burgers and sandwiches, some of which feature Jura’s signature wing sauce.

Jura’s Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.