The city’s Alcohol License Review Committee approved licenses for a number of area establishments Wednesday along with formally requesting an audit of Africana’s financial records in the face of recent neighborhood disturbances.
Africana Restaurant and Lounge, located at 2701 Atwood Ave., had faced scrutiny in recent months as a result of neighborhood complaints regarding noise, fighting and generally disruptive behavior. The ALRC formally announced its support for an audit of Africana’s financial records by the city comptroller’s office.
An area resident referred to the presence of broken glass surrounding the establishment and the constant noise as being a detriment to the community as a whole. She added the owner of the establishment, who had previously been receptive to the needs and concerns of area residents, had recently ceased to pick up his phone.
Committee members discussed the establishment’s occupancy as being a contributing factor to the problems experienced. The live entertainment provided at the venue would often draw large and sometimes unruly crowds, but the license required to provide such entertainment will be experiencing changes in coming weeks.
As of April 15, establishments with an occupancy over 49 that provide live entertainment are required to have a separate entertainment license to host such an event. Prior to this, only establishments with an occupancy over 99 were required to possess such a license.
The committee was doubtful Africana’s application for an entertainment license would be allowed, let alone accepted.
Discussions on Underground Kitchen and Delicatessen, set to occupy the former site of Cafe Montmartre, revolved around distancing the practices of the new business from those of the former.
Mel Trudeau, who served as the agent on the new license application, said the issues that plagued Cafe Montmartre would not be an issue at the new establishment, as it caters to a considerably different clientele.
“We’re expecting a pretty sophisticated and food-savvy crowd,” Trudeau said.
She added the usual college crowd would most likely not be the most common patrons of the establishment due to the more expensive drinks and focus on higher-quality entrees.
Committee members were, on the whole, enthusiastic with respect to Underground Kitchen and approved the license unanimously.
Following the license approvals, Alcohol Policy Coordinator Katherine Plominski asked committee members whether they would agree to contribute to a program in which establishment owners would learn how to compile floor plans which would be filed for use by city agencies including police and fire to better address emergencies.
Plominski added less than 50 percent of establishments overseen by the ALRC have floor plans on file with the city.
Tavern League representative Barb Mercer took issue with what she perceived to be unfair requirements of establishment owners.
Many establishments have floor plans compiled by professional planners and architects. These plans are then used to determine the capacity of the building.
The committee agreed to resume discussion of the matter at a future date in order to get a better idea of establishment owners’ opinions on the proposal.
