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davis_squareI went to last night's neighborhood meeting on the subject of Sacco's Bowl-Haven and Flatbread Company. The meeting took place in Sacco's (noisy) pool hall, and lasted about an hour. On hand were JP Sacco (co-owner of Bowl-Haven), John Meehan (Flatbread co-founder), Peter Quinn (architect), Rich DiGirolamo (lawyer) and Rebekah Gewirtz (Ward 6 alderman).
Meehan proposes to convert the pool hall into a pizza restaurant seating about 125. He would keep the rightmost 10 of the current 15 bowling lanes. The leftmost 5 lanes would become a bar seating about 28 people, plus food preparation and storage areas. They will apply for a full liquor license, which could be either an existing unused license or one of several newly authorized by the state legislature in a home-rule petition. They promise to close by midnight each day, and not to request a 2 am closing in the future.
This use of an existing building is allowed as of right in the Central Business District zone. It still needs to go before the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals because the new use requires 6 more parking spaces than the (grandfathered) existing use. Since the building covers nearly 100% of its lot area, there is no possibility of providing such parking on site. The liquor license requires a public hearing before the Licensing Commission.
Flatbread would lease the building from Sacco for 20 years, with an option to buy after (or within?) the first 5 years. They'd like to finish the permitting process by September and then spend about three months in construction, ideally keeping some of the bowling lanes open while construction occurs. (They don't know yet whether that will actually be feasible.) They will uncover existing skylights and add new ones, build either a 'green roof' or a white reflective one, and meet LEED standards. They may replace the current semi-opaque front window glass with transparent glass, but otherwise won't change the façade.
All beers will be on tap, none in bottles. They expect 80% of their revenue to come from food, 20% from alcohol. (They apparently didn't figure bowling revenue into these percentages.) Their existing restaurants are family-friendly and this one will be so as well. They card everyone who looks under 40, and they've only twice been cited at any of their locations for underage serving, both times in 'sting' operations. All profits from Tuesday night business are donated to a local charity. They expect to provide about 45 jobs, most of them to local Somerville residents.
Some residents at the meeting expressed concern about 'too many restaurants' in Davis Square, raising the spectre of rodent infestation. Others raised concern about deliveries (there is no loading dock, but they'll try to have just one delivery each day), trash (will be stored in the building, no external dumpster), and parking.
John Meehan gave out his e-mail address ( Johnm@flatbreadcompany.com ) and business phone (603-926-9401) for anyone who has further questions. They are tentatively going before the Planning Board on Thursday 6/25, but it's possible this will be deferred.
If you'd like to try their food, their nearest existing restaurant to Somerville is on Route 62 in Bedford, at the Burlington line.
Meehan proposes to convert the pool hall into a pizza restaurant seating about 125. He would keep the rightmost 10 of the current 15 bowling lanes. The leftmost 5 lanes would become a bar seating about 28 people, plus food preparation and storage areas. They will apply for a full liquor license, which could be either an existing unused license or one of several newly authorized by the state legislature in a home-rule petition. They promise to close by midnight each day, and not to request a 2 am closing in the future.
This use of an existing building is allowed as of right in the Central Business District zone. It still needs to go before the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals because the new use requires 6 more parking spaces than the (grandfathered) existing use. Since the building covers nearly 100% of its lot area, there is no possibility of providing such parking on site. The liquor license requires a public hearing before the Licensing Commission.
Flatbread would lease the building from Sacco for 20 years, with an option to buy after (or within?) the first 5 years. They'd like to finish the permitting process by September and then spend about three months in construction, ideally keeping some of the bowling lanes open while construction occurs. (They don't know yet whether that will actually be feasible.) They will uncover existing skylights and add new ones, build either a 'green roof' or a white reflective one, and meet LEED standards. They may replace the current semi-opaque front window glass with transparent glass, but otherwise won't change the façade.
All beers will be on tap, none in bottles. They expect 80% of their revenue to come from food, 20% from alcohol. (They apparently didn't figure bowling revenue into these percentages.) Their existing restaurants are family-friendly and this one will be so as well. They card everyone who looks under 40, and they've only twice been cited at any of their locations for underage serving, both times in 'sting' operations. All profits from Tuesday night business are donated to a local charity. They expect to provide about 45 jobs, most of them to local Somerville residents.
Some residents at the meeting expressed concern about 'too many restaurants' in Davis Square, raising the spectre of rodent infestation. Others raised concern about deliveries (there is no loading dock, but they'll try to have just one delivery each day), trash (will be stored in the building, no external dumpster), and parking.
John Meehan gave out his e-mail address ( Johnm@flatbreadcompany.com ) and business phone (603-926-9401) for anyone who has further questions. They are tentatively going before the Planning Board on Thursday 6/25, but it's possible this will be deferred.
If you'd like to try their food, their nearest existing restaurant to Somerville is on Route 62 in Bedford, at the Burlington line.
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Date: 2009-06-18 02:01 pm (UTC)