Residents: One OTR bar's plan going too far

Call it Over-the-Rhine's delicate balancing act.

The Cincinnati neighborhood has become a regional entertainment destination. At least a dozen bars and restaurants have opened in the last year alone, clustered across a small number of city blocks.

But it also brings up a larger question for Over-the-Rhine: How many bars and restaurants should operate in a place where both public and private investment are seeking to create a stable residential neighborhood?

The southeast corner of 14th and Republic streets has become the latest flash point in this debate thanks to a plan for a two-story bar with a roof terrace. The development would put a bar or restaurant on each corner, and some neighbors are perturbed at the prospect of more noise and late-night activity.

Republic Street is a narrow street with subsidized rental housing and $200,000 condos that host long-time neighborhood residents and new transplants. The street's qualities are different than the heavily commercial streets running to its east and west – Vine and Race streets.

"We're not opposed to a bar at that location, but we want them to be respectful of the neighborhoods, keeping in mind that that was a single-family residence." said Derek Bauman, an Over-the-Rhine resident who lives in Trinity Flats, near the proposed bar.

Lang Thang Group, the operator behind neighborhood eateries Pho Lang Thang and Quan Hapa, wants to open Crown Key & Bar in a 94-year-old single-story garage that had been converted into a residence.

A second-floor addition in the $400,000 project would double the amount of bar space the building can hold.

"We feel this project is an appropriate approach to transforming this small 'noncontributing' building into a great asset in the OTR neighborhood," said Melissa Reddy, of Over-the-Rhine-based Platte Architecture and Design, in a Sept. 10 letter to the city's Urban Conservator and Historic Conservation Board.

The corner is already home to Salazar restaurant and Low Spark, a bar that opened last weekend; both establishments serve alcohol. Picnic & Pantry, a caterer and carryout food seller, also operates on the intersection.

Both Downtown and Over-the-Rhine, a neighborhood once known for blight, have become synonymous with upscale eating and drinking.

Between 2003 and 2013, the number of bars operating in the 45202 zip code rose 45 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. In the same time frame, the number of full-service restaurants rose 14 percent and the number of limited-service restaurants rose 18 percent. The zip code extends from the riverfront to Mount Auburn and from West End to East End.

Bao Nguyen, a partner at Lang Thang Group, said Over-the-Rhine is far from saturated with bars.

"On our end, we definitely feel like the area's still up and coming," he said. "We're still a growing city."

Crown & Key wouldn't have live entertainment, but Lang Thang asked for the second-floor space to remain open until 2 a.m. City employees recommended the second-floor patio not operate after midnight on Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. on weekdays.

Open-air drinking spots aren't completely novel in the neighborhood but there's more interest in adding new ones. Rhinegeist Brewery on Elm Street is working to build a rooftop deck on its brewery. Krueger's Tavern, which opened about a year ago, operates a second-floor rooftop terrace atop its 1211 Vine St. restaurant and bar.

The Krueger's terrace closes at 11 p.m., said Joe Lanni, one of the owners of Thunderdome Restaurant Group, which also owns Bakersfield and Eagle Beer and Food Hall, also on Vine Street.

Krueger's is a tenant in a condominium building. In order for Krueger's to operate, the outdoor terrace must close earlier than the indoor space. Those rules, set by the condominium board, were already in place when Thunderdome signed its lease in space once held by the restaurant Lavomatic.

"It's been pretty smooth," he said. "We try to keep an open dialogue with all of the people in the buildings that we're in. We haven't had a problem that we haven't been able to fix.

"I think a lot of the people that live down here chose to live in an urban environment because they like the hustle and bustle," he added. "For the most part, the condo owners that I've dealt with feel positive about the restaurants and retail because they see what it's bringing" to the neighborhood.

Monday night, representatives from Over-the-Rhine Community Housing and the Over-the-Rhine Community Council helped convince an independent city board to delay support for the plan. Two Historic Conservation Board members voted to allow the project to move forward – with restrictions – and two members voted against it. The matter was tabled a month.

Board member Judith Spraul-Schmidt voted "no," citing the late-night noise and crowds the new bar would attract.

Board member Tim Voss, however, questioned whether Crown & Key could be required to offer hours of operation that differ from those of similar establishments. He voted "yes."

As the neighborhood's population and its restaurant and bar base grows, "we are going to need to work together going forward to ensure we strike a balance," Over-the-Rhine Community Council President Ryan Messer said.

It's vital developers engage with neighbors before seeking the city's blessing, he said.

Nguyen said the company was disappointed with Monday's vote and it is considering how to move forward. The developers have been diligent in seeking ways to reduce nighttime noise, Nguyen said.

"We haven't gone beyond thinking about other opportunities yet," he said. "We're going to take it one step at a time."

Reporter Emilie Eaton contributed to this report.