Here’s a biggie from Thursday’s council meeting:
Restaurant bill approved 8-0; Eateries would be exempt from liquor-license quotas downtown, by Eric Scott Campbell (News-Tribune).
The City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to create a riverfront development district where restaurants could buy liquor licenses without adhering to state quotas.
Several business owners spoke in favor of the bill during the public comment period, saying it would attract new restaurants and entertainment. The bill must be approved two more times to become law.
However, councilmen Dan Coffey and Steve Price called for more stringent language in the bill that would forbid the city from paying to help new business owners with costs like building refurbishment.
Hmm, are our obstructionist Siamese Councilmen cooking up restrictions that would neuter the ordinance’s stated intent? Best keep an eye on them, Mike Kopp, especially when CM Price volunteers to transfer final approval for the new permits to council members who’ll work for free.
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Bistro New Albany’s original mission was scrubbed in early February after health problems forced the primary managing partner to the sidelines, but work has been going on behind the scenes ever since, and it again looks like lift-off is just around the corner.
The new big guy at bNA is Dave Himmel, who’ll be partnering with original chef Dave Clancy, and they’re confident that the doors will open as soon as the last bits of bureaucratic paperwork (primarily ATC) are settled. Plans call for a lunch schedule and very limited evening hours at the beginning, and a gradual ascent into longer hours once a routine is established.
It’s looking solid to me, but for fear of jinxing the endeavor (like before?), I’ll say no more at present. Keep reading for more details, and best wishes to the Daves. I can't wait to enjoy craft beer in what soon will be recognized as the New Albany classic bNA patio.
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In a final tidbit, Israel is hoping to have the new location of La Rosita’s open by mid-May. It will be located in that impossibly garish building of The Gary's –where Old Mill Wine & Spirits formerly did business – at the corner of Charlestown Road and Blackiston Mill Road. It appears that the original location within Shireman's produce market on Charlestown Road is closed. Judging from last Friday night, the Market Street branch still is thriving.
Good luck to a deserving entrepreneur!
Coffey & Price just can't seem to comprehend that investors are not going to waste their time dealing with a hostile, anti business government.
ReplyDeleteThe question is do they really not understand, or are they aware and purposefully acting to deter growth?
Ahh, but wait!! We know the answer to that one don't we.
Citizenspeak, you're probably aware that NA Confidential does not sanction anonymous comments. You may reveal your identity to me in a private e-mail, and of course this will be not be shared.
ReplyDeleteYour current post will not be deleted, but subsequent ones will unless disclosure is forthcoming. Thanks.
The permit quota waiver as constituted apparently makes no provision for currently existing license holders other than to structure the new non-quota permits so that they are non-transferable -- this being an effort to prevent the new non-quota permits from accruing value in the way that the ones acquired by quota traditionally have.
ReplyDeleteIt was an aspect of the proposal that I hadn't fully considered until the evening when it was mentioned the first time, and Third Century spoke on behalf of PastTimes. That's why I subsequently wrote to urge the city to lobby existing permit holders for support and to explain the proposal. Apparently this happened, considsidering the pro-RDD turnout at the last meeting.
When all is said and done, the near future is not so much the problem, as anything that brings more people downtown will serve to increase everyone's business.
The fundamental problem is the state of Indiana constructing a system that creates a secondary market for three-way permits and enhances their value as investments -- and none of the added value goes to the state. The quota system is a laughable sham and always has been, and while it's refreshing to see a mechanism for bypassing it, it's regrettable that increased trade alone might not be enough to sell the idea for those who were dealt in under the quota regime.
To me, there's no doubt that the RDD will be of considerable good to the downtown as a whole, unless the Siamese Councilmen sonehow succeed in neutering it.