PORTSMOUTH
The city's planning commission split this week over whether to allow a venue with late-night entertainment to open in Olde Towne.
Restaurateurs and club owners Terry Webb and Kelli Davis said they envision young professionals sampling tapas and sipping martinis on lounging platforms while listening to poetry or live music. Opening of Rest at 509 High St. would provide a nightlife option that's missing in Olde Towne, they said.
Several business owners from the same block, however, said they worry that the venue could bring the same problems to Olde Towne that a nightclub called David's II did during the 1990s.
"Are we bringing in an element of people that we don't need in Olde Towne Portsmouth?" asked James Rizer, who owns an ice cream parlor next door to where Webb would like to open Rest.
In 1994, the city got a court order to shut down David's II. Police had to close High Street three times on holiday weekends that year because of unruly crowds.
In another incident in 1991, a line of fans pushed through the venue's glass facade before a concert by R&B group Jodeci.
Since then, Portsmouth has not permitted a nightclub to open in Olde Towne.
In 2002, the planning commission unanimously denied an application to open a restaurant and lounge at 430 High St., the same address of David's II.
The commission will consider the matter again at its next meeting on July 1.
Webb and Davis run several ventures in South Hampton Roads - the nightclub Entourage at 112 Bank St. in Norfolk; Alice Mae's Southern Cuisine at 723 Monticello Ave. in Norfolk; and Krush Restaurant and Martini Lounge at 515 Washington St. in Portsmouth.
Vin Lal, a representative from the Hawthorn Hotel & Suites, questioned how crowd control at the restaurant would be handled.
The hotel is half a block away from the proposed site.
His company also manages the Tazewell Hotel & Suites at 245 Granby St. in Norfolk. Since a nightclub opened near it in July, Lal said, fights have broken out after the club let out at 2 a.m.
Webb said he envisions security and off-duty police officers at Rest, as he has at Entourage. Norfolk police reported five calls for service there in the past year, with three arrests: assault, dis orderly conduct, and outstanding warrants.
Tyler McMillen, an owner of Baron's Pub, said he does not support a nightclub. He said the stigma of violence from David's caused tremendous harm to the city's downtown in the 1990s. "We are just now, 10 years later, getting over that stigma of what was happening," McMillen said.
But Davis said that is not what she and Webb are looking to create.
She said she wouldn't call it a club, as they plan to focus on the food, but they want to feature live music and poetry.
Webb questioned whether his venture was being stereotyped as similar to David's.
David's was a black club that was "a bad situation for Portsmouth," Webb said.
But "just because you see I'm black doesn't mean that's what I'm trying to do," Webb said. "I'm not David's. Krush is totally different from David's."
He also questioned why the city raised questions about his venture, while downtown establishments such as Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar and Paddy O'Brians are allowed to have live entertainment on the weekends.
Olde Towne's neighborhood impact police officer, R. Diaz, said the police department gets calls for disorderly conduct and fights at downtown restaurants and bars that are open until 2 a.m., such as Roger Brown's, Paddy O'Brians, Thumper's and Baron's Pub.
"With any business involving alcohol and late nights, you're going to get that," though not every night, Diaz said.
But an arrest at an address does not necessarily involve the establishment, said Steven D. Hawthorne, principal crime analyst for the Portsmouth Police Department.
Community activist Martha Ann Creecy said Portsmouth has a track record of problems with nightclubs. In 1995, the city got a court order to shut down the Riverfront Cafe and Raw Bar at One High Street.
She also questioned whether the venture would be appropriate for the block, with its mix of retail and residences.
In January, the commission approved Webb's application for just a restaurant.
Commissioner Calsine Pitt said that there should be variety downtown.
"If someone wants to bring something unique to Olde Towne, then they should be given the opportunity," Pitt said.
Staff writer Matthew Roy contributed to this report.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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Can we all get along
As a young black proffessional male living nearby to Olde towne portsmouth, i would like to see a place that caters to live poetry and bands that i can go see. It's cool to be diverse nowadays Portsmouth(the People of). I mean i like to have a few drinks with my friends downtown as well. i have been to Roger Brown's, bier garden Paddy's, and Baron's to name a few and all have a little something different to bring to the table. As a non-portsmouth native but a long time portsmouth resident i would like to have friends from other cities bringing their money here to spend in portsmouth. This is the biggest benefit of all. Which is the actual bottom line here. Understand that we all like to party as evident by the age groups you see in downtown partying(im going with 21-55 years of age). A strict dress code and No tolerance for B.S. will make sure that the club/ bar/ restaraunt will do just fine. As stated earlier I would definitely like to walk or have a short drive to the party rather than going to nprfolk or Va. Beach to go party. Just my thoughts, but i really would like to see more diversity in Downtown P-town.
nightclub
This situation cries out for a parking garage nearby.
What exactly is the issue?
As an Olde Towne resident, I don't understand what the issue is. We already have drunks wondering around at night from Roger Brown's, Bier Garden, and Paddy O'Briens. I think it's probably safe to say that a majority of them are military folk that are staying at the Hawthorne! Krush opened with absolutely no problems and no incidents. We have so many empty buildings just waiting for establishments to rent the spaces out. With the current employment rate so low, I wouldn't object to any kind of establishment opening up. It's time for more variety downtown.
Nothing new under the sun!
Come on now, we all know that society has not change for the better. Add another bar, venue, nightclub whatever and you add another problem. Will we ever be problem free, I doubt it! However, we should keep places like this to a minimal. If you want to open an establishment for the downtown area for the "late night folk" try to do it without the alcohol. Ah, then the old ageless question comes into play, "What is the night life like without alcohol?" Cheers!!!!
The problem is the City Leaders fault.
As a former Portsmouth resident I feel that the main problem here is that lack of leadership in the city. They are living in a bubble that is full of negative bad memories. I remember when it was dangerous to shop at Mid City and Tower Mall. If they use the same logic there that they are using here then all of the city's shopping centers need to be closed. They could pose a problem to crime, and I am sure the residents close to the shopping centers do not want that element on their neighborhood streets. I also remember a murder in a hotel in Portsmouth. Time to close the hotels down. If Portsmouth used is City Police Force for more than a tax burden this issue wouldnt be here. This is just my opinion.
There's enough Bars in Portsmouth
As some of the previous comments indicate, I guess we've come to a place in our society where we need a bar on every block. Even better, how about if we just put one in our schools too? The residents of Old Towne Portsmouth want their neighborhood to be a safe and quite place to live without drunk people stumbling loudly through their streets at 2 am in the morning. Is that to much to ask? Of course it is, as it is with so many other issues. We have to lower our community standards to the lowest common denominator because god forbid we have some moral values in our communities. After all, I guess there just isn't enough places to go get drunk in Portsmouth.
Why don't we rename the city Old Towne????
The city officials need to get some guts and stop letting the residence of Old Towne run the city. I don't care where DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH a new venue wants to go, if it doesn't cater to their type of crowd it is not getting there because the city is scared of the Old Towne residents. But please remember, everyone should have a chance to succeed & if they are stupid enough to let things fall apart then in the end it will be their lost. The neighborhood streets belong the the residence but stop letting them control our Downtown. Portsmouth needs to make sure that all citizens are catered too downtown. Not every club or venue that minorities or younger patrons frequent is going to be a bad experience, but when people prejudge it causes problems.Portsmouth has a very large well mannered and educated population that don't want the norm of Old Towne, we want a little more but in a respectable way and as tax paying citizens of Portsmouth, we deserve to be able to relax in our own city, our OWN DOWNTOWN.City officials, please remember, Old Towne residence wanted Holley out of there but he is still There so that goes to show you, that although some other civic groups my not be as frequently
It's 2008, folks
How can you deny something based on past incidences that Davis and Webb weren't a part of? Things change, different people run things, and all works out. let webb and Davis know that any problems like that with David II and they'll face closure, but Portsmouth needs variety and culture, and if they think poetry readings and some live music will fly then good luck. Might I suggest that possibly stop serving booze after 11 or 12? Also ensure a good crowd of all ages and races by imposing a dress code that so gang members know not to come, like shirts should be collared and such as that.
Creecy has no business serving in city government in any capacity. her statements prove she has no idea at what good government does.