Elder Greene Sidewalk Cafe, New Bar On Hope Street Approved By CB

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — A Mediterranean-style outdoor bar on Hope Street and a sidewalk cafe for Elder Greene patrons will likely be coming to the neighborhood, despite some pushback from neighbors.

The Community Board approved a liquor license this week for a new bar and restaurant at 10 Hope Street, which will include a 2,500-square-foot outdoor garden complete with bocci ball courts. Members also gave the OK for Elder Greene cocktail bar to set up an 11-table sidewalk cafe outside its 160 Franklin Street outpost in Greenpoint.

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Both proposals weren't without opposition, though. Neighbors near both spots came ready with petitions against the plans, telling board members the current or previous owners have failed to keep noisy bar patrons under control.

"Within two days 85 people signed their names to a piece of paper saying they don’t want this bar," said one neighbor of the Hope Street spot.

Though the new bar hasn't been built yet, neighbors said they have had noise issues with previous restaurants or bars that set up shop at the Hope Street location. A new bar would disturb their family-friendly neighborhood, the residents said.

But, the building owner and some community board members contended that it's unfair for the neighbors to try and shutdown the idea of a bar at 10 Hope Street when they likely moved in knowing they would live near a restaurant and bar. The spot has been operating as a restaurant or bar since it was converted from a rundown auto-body shop in 2002, the building owner said.

Community board members also argued that the new business owner, William Zafiros, shouldn't be penalized for any problems with previous tenants.

Zafiros told members he has modified his design and reduced the bar's late night hours based on neighborhood concerns. He also plans to put the same material used on highways to mitigate noise around the 90-seat outdoor dining area.

"I’m confident that what we’re going to do fits the neighborhood," said Bill Zafiros. "It’s going to be beautiful and stunning and people are going to want to go to it...I’m doing everything I can to answer the concerns of the community."

Board members voted to approve the bar's liquor license by a vote of 21 to 11, with three abstentions.

Neighbors near the Elder Greene also pointed to noise complaints when speaking against the idea of a sidewalk cafe, with some arguing the bar should be shut down altogether. The bar opened about seven months ago.

Business owner Paul Longo said the last noise complaint he knows about was 27 weeks ago and that he's made his phone number available to neighbors so they could text him if there's ever a problem.

"We are there around the clock — any issue at all we’re happy to address," he said.

Thomas Burrows, chair of the board's State Liquor Authority review subcommittee, told members the board hasn't had to address any noise complaints at the establishment. Burrows added that the subcommittee was able to put certain conditions on the sidewalk cafe, which isn't always the case since owners can often go straight to the State Liquor Authority without consulting with the board.

The board approved the cafe nearly unanimously, with one abstention.

The SLA will have the final say on the sidewalk cafe and the liquor license.

Photos by GoogleMaps.