Tenoch Mexican opening blocked by city

[keithn.livejournal.com]

The City of Somerville, in their ongoing quest to turn Davis Square into a cluster of abandoned, crumbling buildings, is holding up the opening of Tenoch Mexican, acording to Tenoch's website:

UPDATE: At the June 15, 2015 Somerville City Council meeting, Tenoch was not approved to open our new location at 382 Highland Ave in Davis Square. Come show your support for Tenoch at an informational meeting on Monday, July 13 from 6:30-7:30 at the future Tenoch location at 382 Highland Ave., or at the next Somerville hearing on Monday, July 20 at 6 pm at Town Hall, when we are on the docket again. Help us get our new place up and running and satisfy your torta craving in Davis Square!

From the City's records, this was what was considered by the Licensing Commission on June 15:

Tenoch Mexican Food Corporation d/b/a Tenoch Mexican, 382 Highland Ave. requesting approval for a Wine & Malt 7 Day Restaurant License, a Common Victualler License, an Entertainment License consisting of Entertainment by Performers and Devises and an Alteration of Premises

Comments

[keithn.livejournal.com]

Between Davis Square, Porter Square, Ball Square, Teele Square and Magoun Square, we have every type of cuisine you could imagine, so I'm confounded by these types of arguments. Tenoch is a torta restaurant, which is a lot different from the generic burrito joints all over the place (Anna's, Chipotle, Boca Grande). I wouldn't argue against Meju (Asian) because Diva (Asian) is across the street.

I live two blocks from the proposed Tenoch site and I have been excited for months about this restaurant opening, and I am incredibly disappointed that it probably won't open this summer, if ever. I want to make it clear that you and Davis Square Task Force do NOT speak for me and you do NOT speak for the community, only yourselves.

There's not a misunderstanding or misinformation here, if you have been reading DSLJ for the last number of years you would see that we are well aware of the liquor/beer and wine license/special licenses for Assembly Square situation, well aware of the licensing commission/ZBA/BOA, and as aware of the sausage making process as information made public by the city will allow (which is pretty little - we only found out about Roche Brothers pulling out after the city was forced to admit it when responding to questions about the crumbling building closing down half the square).

I'm surprised by your "nuisance" at that spot comments. The last two restaurants at that spot - M3 and Al Fresco - have served alcohol, and they weren't exactly party bars. And I'm not sure why the actions of those restaurants would have anything to do with Tenoch. What specifically happened there that bothers you?

Also - what DO you want to go into that spot?

[jlauspitz.livejournal.com]

As it happens, I have no preference about what goes on that spot, and personally like a drink with a good meal, but I do like to keep the discussion civil and informative. I am interested to learn that the proposed restaurant will offer something distinctive.

Point of Information #1: The Davis Square Task Force has been out of existence for several years. It did not take positions but rather provided a regular channel for airing information on developments of this kind. Live Journal has admirably filled some of this function, but cannot in the nature of its on-line format provide a) pre-exposure by new businesses and developers to test public sentiment before going to the zoning, planning and licensing boards, b) a regular updates by City officials, including police, health and fire, and Ward Alderman in a face-to-face format-- the City now does some of this city-wide under a less frequent Resistat format.

Point of information #2: The problems on that corner predated the two most recent restaurant tenants, as well as predating a third: Out of the Blue, which moved to a more commercially viable location on Elm Street. There are Cutter Ave residents and members of the licensing commission who go back to the days when that spot had a 4 a.m. closing, so that closer scrutiny is inevitable. There is in any case always more controversy surrounding establishments at the periphery rather than at the core of the business district, and especially in high turnover spots.

Point of information #3: Even at the core, the merits of the establishment do not always carry the day when there is a backlog of applicants for discretionary licenses, as evidenced a few years ago when highly regarded Ten Tables of Jamaica Plain was interested in locating on the plaza but was late in the queue for wine and beer.

Point of ignorance: I am not currently informed on what the applicant pool is like for wine and beer licenses, or what the market price is for fully transferable full-service liquor licenses Interested parties, including the business owners, will doubtless check this out.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

After all these issues with keeping a restaurant located at that corner, I'm not sure that part of the problem with that building isn't the landlord.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't be surprising if the problem was that the space was too small, or otherwise was hard to put a profitable restaurant in.