A school-versus-bar debate has raised the ire of former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.

It’s also drawn a strong rebuke from state Rep. John Lesch. And it could even inspire changes in distance requirements between high schools and establishments that hold liquor licenses.

Officials with a St. Paul charter school are demanding the city suspend the liquor license of a downtown restaurant nearby.

Board members of the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists say that Gray Duck Tavern received its liquor license in April 2017 without proper notification to the school.

“We are writing at this time to inquire as to how it came about that the license for Gray Duck Tavern was issued without the consent of SPCPA, as well as to request that the city immediately cause liquor sales at Gray Duck Tavern to be suspended in light of the fact that its license to sell liquor was granted in violation of the law,” said William Pentelovitch, board treasurer, in a letter to the city.

The Dec. 12 letter, addressed to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, City Council President Amy Brendmoen and City Attorney Lyndsey Olson, points out that city ordinances prohibit liquor licenses within 300 feet of public or parochial schools without the school’s consent.

The oversight came to light at a recent board meeting because yet another restaurant is asking the city for a liquor license within 300 feet of the grade nine-12 charter school, which uses classroom space on the skyway level of the Lowry Medical Arts building at 350 St. Peter St.

James Crockarell, a founder of the Madison Equities group, said he bought the neighboring Lowry Hotel building five years ago and spent $20 million refurbishing it.

A sister company, the Madison Restaurant Group, last year installed the Gray Duck Tavern at Fourth and Wabasha streets, a prominent corner space boarded up for decades.

Crockarell said he’s had no personal contact with the charter school, though his daughter met with school representatives to help pick out carpeting for the skyway that runs between the two buildings. Otherwise, he feels blindsided.

“I’m just scratching my head about what caused all this without any discussion,” Crockarell said on Thursday. “There’s five restaurants with liquor right around these people. If they feel that way, they should probably reconsider whether they want to be in an urban environment at all.”

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Man fatally struck by Amtrak train in Fridley ID’d Both Pazzaluna and Sakura — the two restaurants in the Medical Arts Building — serve alcohol, as do Kincaid’s and the St. Paul Grill across the street.

“I’m sorry but this is ridiculous,” said Coleman, the former St. Paul mayor, in a Dec. 18 Facebook post about the matter. “If you want a school in downtown, then you accept that you have a school in downtown. If it is inconsistent with your mission to be in close proximity to a vibrant mix of restaurants and businesses, then you should move.

“I love the school and love seeing their students in and around the city,” Coleman wrote. “I love the artists they have nurtured (like Hippo Campus). But, please, you need to exercise better judgment than exhibited here.”

State Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul, was even less forgiving in his online comments.

Lesch, who runs a law office downtown, noted that he’s put up with the high school students when they “nearly cause accidents by running through traffic on 5th and St. Peter, or when they walked 4 abreast through the skyways with arms linked and intimidated workers and customers.”

Lesch added: “You’re already not an ideal neighbor, so using a technical move to shut down a classy venue which actually contributes to the tax base makes you look like an ass.”

In response to Coleman’s post, at least one resident noted that the conflict could prove to be a test case that causes the city council to simply rewrite city ordinances and lessen distance requirements between bars and schools.

Crockarell agreed.

“You’re going to see a change in the ordinance in the near future,” he said.

Joe Spencer, president of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance, said “everybody looks at this ordinance and says this simply doesn’t belong downtown. You’re going to see bars and restaurants, and lots of residents, and lots of workers, all coming together in a downtown environment. Having a 300-foot separation requirement doesn’t make sense in a downtown zone.”

A call to the school on Thursday was not immediately returned. St. Paul officials so far they have little to say about the charter school’s demands, they said.