The nightmare scenario: Weapons of mass pub grub destruction.

(Feast BBQ is going into the old Shirl-Ray's spot across from the YMCA. To learn more, visit their Facebook page)

If you derive a sense of hope or contentment from downtown New Albany's burgeoning concentration of restaurants, it helps to understand that these considerable investments so very crucial to revitalization probably could not have been leveraged without the "tool" of specially designated, off-quota, $1,000 three-way (beer, wine, spirits) alcohol permits.

In turn, these have been made possible by the city's establishment of a riverfront development district, the mechanism described in Daniel Suddeath's piece below. As a more specialized brewery-restaurant, Bank Street Brewhouse certainly could have made do with a two-way (beer and wine) permit, but for other eatery start-ups, a riverfront three-way might easily be the deciding factor in whether to invest or invest downtown -- and the city need not spend $12-18 million in encouragement.

The city council is being asked by the city to expand the size of the development district, extending it into the west end. All along, the Green Mouse has said that the prime reason for the proposal was to enable an inexpensive three-way for the Holiday Inn Express, which Dan Coffey (among others) has been wary of facilitating, but now it appears that the hotel has its own means of exemption from the quota. As it stands, the district's widening could lead to greater start-up possibilities in an area that needs them.

Now, the case in opposition is being made by Jack Messer, outgoing council member and mayoral hopeful. Frankly I find Messer's position, as stated here, to be confusing (at best) and caterwauling (at worst). For starters, in a legislative sense, exactly how do we distinguish between "just pub food" and the presumably superior grade of food served at a "real" restaurant? Yes, I surely believe in varying grades of culinary attainment, but gazing upon the faces inhabiting the current council, is it a judgment any of them are qualified to make?

Furthermore, it seems we've already covered this ground: Believe it or not, the state of Indiana already has considered the issue of permittee cuisine, and one cannot possess a "by the drink" alcohol permit of any sort without agreeing to have foodstuffs on site, ready to prepare and serve. As you can see, the state's definition of food is poetically minimalist:

The Commission will, hereafter, require that the retail permittee be prepared to serve a food menu to consist of not less than the following:

Hot soups.
Hot sandwiches.
Coffee and milk.
Soft drinks.

Hereafter, retail permittees will be equipped and prepared to serve the foregoing foods or more in a sanitary manner as required by law.

Given these considerations, what is Messer trying to say? For the purposes of any potential permittee seeking his or her license according to the stipulations of the riverfront development district, what is the difference insofar as policing ramifications between the beverage alcohol served at La Bocca and Hugh E. Bir's?

And, if there is a difference, hasn't the state already ruled in detail as to the legal requirements of a permittee? What does this have to do with policing? Obviously, the state clearly has made this determination, and accordingly, isn't it Messer's responsibility to explain what further safeguards he personally requires in order to vote in favor of the district's expansion, and not City Hall's job to somehow "prove" to him that it's a good idea?

Jack, if you're reading, can you explain? Thank you.

Do you lose with more booze? ... Messer, Coffey wary of impact of more liquor licenses

A proposal to extend the city’s riverfront development district to allow more liquor licenses to be sold will likely be weighed in committee at least one more time before the New Albany City Council takes final votes on the measure ...

... In September, the proposal passed the first of three votes by an 8-1 count before it was tabled for committee review. Messer voted against the ordinance, as he said some assurances need to be made to ensure a slew of bars don’t open.

Quality restaurants can benefit a community, but allowing multiple bars to open downtown under the guise of selling pub food can be detrimental to public safety and create a “nightmare” for police, said Messer who is a New Albany policeman.

“I’m not open to expanding what we’ve got until we find out what benefit it’s going to produce,” Messer said last week.