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No Progress on Former Johnny's Beach Club Renovation
By Jack Guerino, iBerkshires Staff
01:19AM / Thursday, January 30, 2020
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The License Board says it wants to be kept updated on the progress of the Barcelona Tapas and Bar's renovation.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Barcelona Tapas and Bar's progress has stalled until the building department  issues a permit.
 
Although disappointed with the lack of movement on the project, the Licensing Board tabled the regular agenda item Monday but asked for regular updates.
 
"Until hammer and nails start going in I think we should have an update every month," board member Richard Stockwell said.
 
The owners indicated last summer that instead of opening the former Johnny's Beach Club on 87 Wahconah St. as a tapas bar, they planned to improve the site in hopes of selling it.
 
The owners have completed some substantial renovations of the property and agreed that if they could not sell it after the renovations they would open up the restaurant in some capacity to keep the alcohol license paired with the establishment while making the business more attractive to a potential buyer.
 
Wahconah Street LLC's attorney Jeffrey Lynch told the Licensing Board that before his last correspondence with the board in mid-November, the building department had requested additional documents.
 
He said the project was fully filed but the building department reached out to Wahconah Street LLC architects requesting a full building code narrative report. He said they added this to the scope of the project. 
 
This additional work was only completed this month and is currently sitting in the building department  for review.
 
"The only person that can tell us how long it will take is the building commissioner and I don't know where it is in his queue of work to review," he said. "After we hear from him, hopefully, the permit is ready to pick up and be posted." 
 
From that point it would take eight to 10 weeks to complete the renovations.
 
The board was frustrated with the continued delay and noted they originally approved the license transfer in 2017.
 
"I think this has gone too slow and we should have had this information," board member Kathleen Amuso said. "I am not happy with this process."
 
Lynch said he was only able to provide the board with the information that he had at the time and added that his client has continued to follow the the city's direction and did not anticipate this additional report. 
Lynch did agree to consistent updates and thought it would be good for both parties.
 
In other business, the board made some approvals accommodating a three-way license switch between Mission, Lach's Lounge, and the Elbow Room.
 
The License Board approved an All Alcohol Restaurant License transfer from Badge Enterprises LLC. doing business as Lach's Lounge to On A Mission LLC doing business as Mission Restaurant.
 
Attorney Dennis Eagan, representing Mission located at 438 North St., said the business was recently purchased. He said the new owners purchased the Lach’s Lounge license. 
 
Eagan also asked for an entertainment license, permission to operate a sidewalk cafe, and change of manager to Jennifer Benson.
 
The board noted that the changes to the actual business are minimal.
 
"Nothing has really changed," chairman Thomas L. Campoli said.
 
The board then heard from attorney Tom Martin, representing the owners of the Elbow Room, who plan to open a new establishment at the former Lach's Lounge.
 
"We have been in a holding pattern because you can't have two licenses in the same location," he said. "But given that the board just approved the transfer, we are ready to proceed with a full transfer application."
 
Campoli asked Martin to stay in touch and noted Mission has to be granted approval by the state before he can really take action.
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