Report: Latin-Themed Restaurant Proposal Off the Table
Stella restaurateurs cite community concerns in decision to abandon proposal.
Stella owner Evan Deluty had hoped to fill the vacant property at the corner of Washington and West Newton streets with a Latin-themed restaurant offering affordable entrees and a full bar. Now, plans have been taken off the table, according to a report.
In a letter to the community published in the South End News, Deluty and business partner Kevin Sullivan announced their decision to withdraw their proposal after several heated community meetings.
"[We] have realized that despite offering concessions and proposing compromises, we will be unable to reach a consensus without deteriorating our own business plan and concept," the letter states.
At a meeting in September, neighbors voiced strong objections to plans for outdoor patio seating along the garden side of the restaurant as well as the request for a full liquor license. A neighboring condo association objected to the idea of patrons sitting outside after 11 p.m.
At the meeting, Deluty and Sullivan insisted that the restaurant must have a full license and patio seating in its side garden area if it was to go forward.
Hite parallels
In September, plans to redevelop the Hite Radio and TV building on Washington Street met a similar fate after complaints from neighbors led developers Jim Robertson and Jay Hajj to abandon plans for condos and a street-level restaurant. The pair sent a letter to the community announcing their decision after several community meetings.
South End Patch columnist and real estate professional John Keith attributed the behavior to the increase in homeownership in the South End.
"When Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner settle down, they will end up looking around and assessing the situation... And then, (OH NO!), they get involved. Suddenly, there’s opposition to a restaurant with outdoor seating, a coffee shop, a doggy-day care."
Read the full column here.
Going forward
Despite the drama surrounding their recent proposal, Deluty and Sullivan alluded to the possibility of future enterprises in their letter.
"Although this location will not host our new restaurant, we look forward to the opportunity to bring a new neighborhood-friendly eatery to South Ender’s in the near future," they wrote.
Kellys Pond
12:51 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011
so the neighborhood would rather have empty space available for vagrants to urinate on. good choice southenders!
Christopher Treacy
2:49 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011
Seriously - the area has gotten so fussy, the residents aren't going to be satisfied until business grinds to a halt. Move to Lexington, folks - you can't have it both ways!
Adam Castiglioni
4:49 pm on Monday, October 3, 2011
It's really ironic to hear people opposed to these developments complain about noise and trash. The South End is already one of noisiest neighborhoods with one of the biggest problems with trash in the city. You can't ignore these two problems but to say you can't have new development because it will increase these problems is not going to make the neighborhood any better. I think the people who live near these two proposed developments need to think of the negative economic consequences of of their opposition on the neighborhood.
Ellen Wells, aka The Dainty Dot
11:45 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2011
I've spoken to people who were at the meetings (not a vociferously opposed attendee) and I've read accounts here about the meetings. From what I understand of the discussions taking place both in the neighborhood association meetings and between the individual meetings of the parties concerned, there are discrepancies between what the potential business was promising abutters individually and what they were proposing in the association meeting. Noise and trash aside, one does not begin a new business relationship with the community on that footing.