Licensing Board Considers Outdoor Restaurant Seating During Third Thursday
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Office of Cultural Development is considering letting North Street restaurants have outdoor seating during the monthly Third Thursdays.
Shiobbean Lemme of the Office of Cultural Development brought the idea to the Licensing Board on Monday in hopes to find the best way to do it. The board said it liked the idea but wanted to see specific plans on how the alcohol service will be controlled by each restaurant during the popular street fairs.
"The theme for July is food and we were wondering if we could figure out a way to invite the 14 restaurants on the streetscape of Third Thursday to provide outdoor seating," Lemme said.
Lemme called the three hours or so during July's street fair a test run for what could be an ongoing addition to the downtown event. The restaurants wanting to participate would be asking for a one-day outdoor seating license for it.
"We think of it as a revenue generator for the businesses that are open," Lemme said.
She said the outdoor seating would provide "an element to the festival that is currently missing." In July, the construction on the northern portion of the road will be on the paving phase, which means the seating isn't expected to interfere with any digging. The board is supportive of the effort but wanted Lemme to return with the restaurants to finalize the details.
In other business, construction delays pushed back the opening of 7 Winter Grille, moving scheduled receptions in May and June to another location. But, the owners are hoping to open in July.
Manager Anthony Gianacopoulos said the renovations triggered American Disabilities Act compliance regulations. The restaurant has been closed for more than a year as plans and construction took place. Recently, the lift — or elevator — had to be redesigned three times.
"We are hopeful to have the lift ready to be delivered at the end of this month or in the first week of June," Gianacopoulos said.
First the contractors said the architect's measurements were wrong. The new design required the removal of at least six seats, maybe more. Again, the plans were sent back to the architect for another option. Ultimately, a design was crafted and the elevator shaft is now "framed out" and the lift itself was ordered last month.
The Licensing Board, however, has been urging the company to make use of its liquor license. Attorney Jeff Lynch said the investments made to the business show there is intent to open the restaurant and asked for a little more time before the board revokes the license.
"We can't afford to let this license just sit," Lynch said.
Board member Richard Stockwell said the board has been lenient with a number of restaurants in the same position, so he agreed to extend the same courtesy to Gianacopoulos.
"I think waiting until the end of July would not jeopardize the city in any way or the license," Stockwell said.
The Polish Community Club, on the other hand, is reaching the end of the board's leeway. That club has been trying to put the pieces back together after the former bar manager died. That required a new slate of directors, new managers, and financing. The hope was that at least some of that work was going to be completed in April and May. But on Monday, representatives failed to appear.
"It is one thing to not be here. If you are not here, that doesn't bode well," said board member Thomas Campoli said.
The Licensing Board will send a certified letter to club representatives with "strong wording" that at the next meeting the license could be revoked.
"The chairman of the board has gone overboard to give them every benefit there is," Stockwell said, adding that failing to appear is a "slap in the face."
The board also approved outdoor seating for Vongs; gave leeway for the closed Chameleons to reopen or sell its license; approved Hilltop Orchards' license to sell at the farmer's market; and approved Melissa Aitkin as the new manager of the Country Club of Pittsfield.
Tags: alcohol license, license board, outdoor seating, Third Thursdays,
