Ryan Cormier

The News Journal

The opening of a new, large-scale beer garden in Wilmington may be delayed amid concerns from residents about late-night revelry.

A public hearing has been called for July 7 as part of the liquor license application review for the Constitution Yards Beer Garden on the city's Riverfront, says Delaware Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner John Cordrey.

Connecticut-based Imian Partners, the operators of the 20,000-square-foot beer garden at Justison Landing Park, had hoped to open as soon as Wednesday, June 15.

The non-profit Riverfront Development Corp., which hired Imian Partners to build and manage the waterfront beer garden, has applied for a biennial gathering license, which would be renewed every two years.

The RDC is now exploring other license options that would allow the beer garden to open on a temporary basis ahead of the hearing, says RDC Acting Executive Director Megan McGlinchey.

She would not comment specifically on what those options were. One of the options they have is to apply daily for a special gather license.

The plan to open the seasonal Constitution Yards in the shadow of the Condominiums at Justison Landing has been met with resistance by some nearby residents concerned about everything from noise and traffic to drunkenness and excessive lighting.

Chuck Fleming, who lives in the Condominiums at Justison Landing and is on the board of its homeowners' association, says the Riverfront is too busy in the summer with Wilmington Blue Rocks games, races and crowds going to Riverwalk Mini Golf and Penn Cinema Riverfront to handle the traffic and parking associated with Constitution Yards.

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"There are tons of people down here now," says Fleming, a 57-year-old sales executive, speaking on behalf of the homeowners' association, which officially opposes the beer garden at that location. "On summer evenings, people like to have their windows open.

"We've heard some people tell us, 'You live in the city. It doesn't matter.' Yes, it matters. Just because we live in a city doesn't mean we have to put up with stuff that you would never put up with in suburbia."

McGlinchey says the RDC is meeting with representatives from the homeowners' association later this week and has already made concessions. The original plan for Constitution Yards called for live music, but that element was removed due to objections by residents, she says.

"We want to be good neighbors and be respectful that this is their community that they live in," she says. "We're willing to do what we need to do to make it successful and make it a place that they are proud to have in their neighborhood."

Fleming says residents are particularly sensitive because of long-running complaints about the volume of the live outdoor music on Friday and Saturday nights at Firestone Roasting House, which is about 1,000 feet from the condominium.

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He says the volume level during performances on those nights exceed the city's 55-decibel limit after 8 p.m.

The restaurant along the Christina River hosts some of the same cover bands that play Dewey Beach during the summer, such as LauraLea & TrippFabulous and Blue Label, and draw large crowds.

"We've had little relief from the issues we have with Firestone, so we are very concerned about having this next door to us," says Fleming, who has been living at the Condominiums at Justison Landing since 2010, two years after moving to Wilmington from Pennsylvania.

Firestone manager Linda Williams says she believes the restaurant's nighttime music is within the legal limits, but also understands the concerns of the residents.

"They have a valid point. Unfortunately, it is what it is as far as where they're located and lay their heads at night. I get it," Williams says.

The family- and dog-friendly beer garden will offer craft beer, frozen cocktails, wine and barbecue paired with yard games like corn hole and bocce.

The site is also home to the seasonal Riverfront Rink in the winter. Under current plans, the skating rink would return when the beer garden closes after Oktoberfest.

The public hearing concerning the liquor license, which allows for public testimony by those who live in the affected area, will be held July 7 at 6 p.m. in the third-floor conference room of the Carvel State Office Building at 820 N. French St. in Wilmington.

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).