Brewery/Restaurant proposal for Social Security Building, version 2.0

[ron_newman]

ETA 7/29: This meeting has been postponed until a yet-to-be-set date in September.

[an e-mail from Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz]

I have been contacted by Rich DiGirolomo <digirolamo@verizonmail.com> who is representing a new applicant that would like to occupy the social security building space. The applicant does not have an official name but they are, according to Rich, locally owned and operated. They are proposing a brewery that will be 80% food service and 20% beer/wine/liquor service for the space (the word Somerville will somehow be in the name of the restaurant/brewery). He also informs me that the owner of the building plans to propose a local gym that would go upstairs.

I am going to hold a community meeting about this proposal on Wednesday, July 31st at 6pm on-site [240 Elm St]. If you could please help me spread the word that would be great.

--Rebekah Gewirtz
Ward 6 Alderman, Somerville
(H) 617-718-0792
Rebekah.Gewirtz@gmail.com

Comments

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

As a gym owner in this ward, I'm very curious who the "local gym" is.

[ceo]

I've always thought Davis needed a brewpub.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I agree. But then, I'd be happy to see a brewpub in every neighborhood. :D

[emannths.livejournal.com]

Is an 80/20 target reasonable? Does Somerville or Cambridge have any data on the food/booze split for their license-holders? Do they audit their licenseholders?

I'd rather see the abolition of these rules, but if we're going to have them, I'm curious if anyone cares how closely they're followed in practice.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

This is at exactly the same time as the Ward 5 meeting on the Cedar St. repairs.
It's a bummer because I happen to live pretty much exact on the boarder between 6-1 and 5-3, the two precincts specifically being discussed.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

Couldn't they find a frozen yogurt place to move in there?

[gscoobs.livejournal.com]

I vote +20 for a Slumbrew and/or Pretty Things brewpub!

[wintahill.livejournal.com]

This is exciting news. I would love to see something finally happening in that space and a brewpub would be great.

I just hope the "community" does not scare this potential tenant away also. At least Gewirtz toned down her sharpen the pitchforks rhetoric a little in this latest rally the troops bulletin to her supporters.

[ron_newman]

I think this will be better received, as a local business. To reduce impact on the residential neighborhood, I hope this time the entrance will be proposed for Elm Street rather than Chester.

[courtney o&apos;keefe (from livejournal.com)]

Hi miss_chance,

I will be posting a recap of the Cedar Street meeting, but do feel free to send along any concerns you have and I will have them addressed.

Courtney O'Keefe
Ward 5 Alderman

[wkathym.livejournal.com]

I have been hoping that a restaurant that pays serious attention to their food/menu would open in Davis. Something like HIghland Kitchen. A nice gastro/brewpub Like Highland Kitchen. (OK, i've been hoping for a French Bistro!) But I think Davis Sq. restaurants are all about making the bucks through alcohol sales. The renowned chefs in the Boston area are opening restaurants all over Somerville/Cambridge, but not Davis.

The gym option sounds intriguing... Eat, drink, excercise.

[ron_newman]

The proposed brewpub is a Beer Works. What are they like, both as a restaurant chain and as a brewer? (I'm not much of a beer snob so I'm the wrong person to make such judgments.)