Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel, 377-395 Commercial St. (map), and the recently opened Aragosta Restaurant (formerly Sensing), will be appearing at the North End neighborhood groups regarding applications with city authorities to extend the closing hour on its alcohol license for its 86-seat outdoor patio to 11:00 p.m (from 10:00 p.m.). In addition, the hotel has applied for live, outdoor, amplified entertainment until 9:00 p.m. with outdoor recorded music until 11:00 p.m. The hotel has an existing indoor all-alcohol license with a 2:00 a.m. closing hour.
These applications by the Fairmont come two years after its previous request for outdoor patios, at which time Fairmont Battery Wharf management said they would not offer outdoor entertainment. In May 2009, the hotel approached the neighborhood groups to serve alcohol on three patios with over 180 seats (see diagram). The Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) supported the request and the Residents’ Association tabled the issue. Both groups opposed a related request for five valet parking spaces on Commercial Street. At the time, the Boston Licensing Board set an outdoor closing hour of 10:00 p.m. Since then, only one patio has been open for the Sensing Restaurant which recently reopened as an Italian restaurant named Aragosta.
The outdoor entertainment request follows a similar application a few weeks ago by Tia’s Restaurant & Bar that made its second attempt to introduce live music on its patio next to the Marriott Hotel and Christopher Columbus Park. After opposition from neighbors at Commercial Wharf, Tia’s withdrew its request for live, outdoor entertainment.
Fairmont Battery Wharf has offered live, outdoor entertainment in the past through special event permits which are available to anyone on an occasional basis. Last summer, the Fairmont hosted a concert by Green River Ordinance, a 5-piece rock band.
The following notification letter was sent to abutters with the dates and times of upcoming neighborhood meetings on the issue. The meetings are open to the public and abutters are encouraged to attend. The first meeting is on Monday, May 9th, 7:00 p.m. at the Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) which meets at the Nazzaro Center, 30 N. Bennet St.
May 4, 2011
Dear North End Waterfront Neighbour:
We are very excited about the opening of our new Italian restaurant,
Aragosta Bar + Bistro. As ever, we appreciate and very much value
your ongoing relationship with us at Fairmont Battery Wharf. As we
grow and continue to become part of your waterfront neighbourhood, we
would like to share with you our present plans for enhancements.
We recently met with members of the Battery Wharf Resident Advisory
Committee regarding two important initiatives for Aragosta and we are
pleased that the committee supports our initiatives of extending our
Alcohol service hours for the outdoor Aragosta Terrace and the
addition of outdoor ambiance music. Along with this letter to you, we
will be sharing this information with local neighbourhood associations
as follows:
May 9, 7:00 p.m. – North End / Waterfront Neighbourhood Council
Nazzaro Center, 30 N. Bennet St.
May 24, 7:00 p.m. – North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association
(Zoning, Licensing & Construction Committee)
Pilot House, Lewis Wharf, 2 Atlantic Ave.
June 9, 7:00 p.m. – North End / Waterfront Residents Association
Nazzaro Center, 30 N. Bennet St.
In a continuous endeavour to improve our offerings for Fairmont
Battery Wharf guests and neighbours, we look forward to your support
with regards to extending the outdoor alcohol service on the terrace
until 11:00 p.m. (currently, it is until 10:00 p.m.) and as we apply
for our outdoor entertainment license. We envision having both
occasional, live music no later than 9:00 p.m. and recorded music no
later than 11:00 p.m. to enhance the dining experience on the terrace.
We will, as always, be extremely mindful to operate in a considerate
manner so as not to be objectionable to guests, neighbours and
residents.
We wish to thank you in advance for your support on these important
initiatives and as always, look forward to seeing you on the terrace.
Please feel free to reach out to me directly should you have any
questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Matthew Sterne
General Manager
Three Battery Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts
United States 02109-1006
tel 617 994 9000
batterywharf@fairmont.com
Unbelievable greed. More catering to the tourists over residents. To have rock bands playing would destroy the waterfront as a place to live. Tia's withdrew and so should they.
Another Italian restaurant in the North End? Just what we need.
Not greed…it's business. They see that every other business in the North End is pushing limits around hours and entertainment and liquor licenses and some are being successful in front of the neighborhood groups. So why not them? That is the danger of giving a place like the Living Room a later licenses to serve booze. It just encourages every other establishment to do the same thing and push for more "stuff". If I'm a businessman, I would do the same thing.
A place like Volle Nolle…do they really need a liquor license? No, they are a sandwich shop…but they see IP Express can serve booze so why not them?
Great, it'll be like the festival bands every night….do they have any idea how easily the sounds carry?? Those of us at the Hanover end of Battery tolerate the blaring festival music all summer because it's part if the NE culture….but it won't be neighorhood charm when the Fairmont keeps our kids awake at night.