barcade.com
Jazzy saxophone solos and cocktails might be replaced by the beeps and whirs of arcade games along with craft beer in a Ninth Square night spot.
That’ll happen if the founders of Brooklyn-based Barcade — a combination bar and arcade — get permission to open their sixth post at 56 Orange St., the home of former jazz bar 9th Note. (The chain’s Philadelphia outlet is pictured above.)
The company’s founders asked the Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday night for special exceptions and variances to allow them to open.
The zoning commissioners referred the matter to the City Plan Commission, which is to consider it Wednesday and return it to the zoning board in September with a recommendation.
The Town Green Special Services District worked to recruit Barcade to the spot and spoke out in favor it at Tuesday night’s zoning hearing at 200 Orange St. Two neighbors spoke out against the bar, arguing it would not be a good fit for the Ninth Square.
9th Note was evicted earlier this year following noise complaints and the landlord’s claim that the operator failed to pay the $4,100 in monthly rent in a timely manner.
Aliyya Swaby Photo
Founder Kevin Beard with plans Tuesday night.
Barcade founders Kevin (pictured) and Scott Beard asked for five variances and two special exceptions. They argued the requests are warranted since the law around arcades is outdated and unnecessary. They asked for variances to allow 50 game machines, instead of the three-machine maximum; to allow two game machines per 100 square feet of area where a maximum of one is allowed; to allow no space around the machines where three feet of side clearance and eight feet of front clearance is required; to not provide an attendant for the machines; and to allow no off-street bicycle stalls instead of 24.
The requested special exceptions are for a cafe liquor license, instead of a restaurant license, and permission to have no parking spaces where 25 are required in a central business/residential district.
Albert Annunziata, the business’s lawyer, called the rules for arcades “antiquated.” He said the arcade would be an “accessory use” to the sale of craft beer, since only 7 percent of the profit comes from “video game usage. It’s a cool feature to bring in other people to eat and drink.”
The Town Green Special Services District has been courting the business for months and finally convinced it to come to New Haven, said Barcade co-founder Paul Kermizian. “We were pleasantly surprised by how much we liked the city,” he said. If it opened in New Haven, Barcade would serve about 25 American beers on draft from local and regional breweries and pub food from a full kitchen.
Aliyya Swaby Photo
Robert D’Amico, who lives in apartments above the space, said he doesn’t want a bar in that space at all. Those arguing for Barcade “don’t live where I live … When you take alcohol and game machines, grown-ups become kids,” he said. “I’m tired of listening to what’s going on downstairs.” He said that “it took forever to get rid of” 9th Note (he had complained) and that he doesn’t trust Barcade to comply with noise restrictions.
Kermizian said the founders plan to soundproof the space and that they would not have live music as Ninth Note did.
Another neighbor spoke in opposition to Barcade — because he wants the glory of 9th Note to return. Robert Greenberg asked zoning commissioners to contrast the sound of renowned musicians such as Miles Davis with the sound of games like Donkey Kong.
“I don’t know if changing the zoning to bring this business here is the kind of business we want on Orange Street,” he said.
Win Davis, who heads the Town Green organization, and Steve Fontana (pictured), a city economic development officer, both spoke in favor of Barcade.
Davis said two “qualified national retail opinions” vouched for the bar as a “great option” for New Haven. It will be a place “for people like myself to relive their youth,” he said.
Annunziata said Barcade would have a strict 21 and over policy, except for minors accompanied by adults.
The founders had been considering opening the sixth Barcade in Boston, said Kermizian, but New Haven officials kept “inquiring if we would consider” the smaller city. “We’re excited to be in Connecticut,” he said, especially since many regional breweries operate here.