Proposed East Rock brewery receives support from New Haven officials

NEW HAVEN >> A proposed craft beer brewery in the East Rock neighborhood had officials lining up Tuesday to show their support.

Equally of interest was a proposed brew pub on State Street in a spot that has been home to a dry cleaners for 60 years.

So far, Tim Wilson, who grew up in Orange, is calling his proposed brewery at 285 Nicoll St. the East Rock Brewing Co., but Alder Anna Festa, D-10, is pushing for the Goatville Brewing Co., named for a section of East Rock.

There may be a different brand name, said Wilson, who favors German-style beer. About 12 people are expected to work there.

Wilson, who trained in Boston and Germany, plans to have four year-round beers, a minimum of four seasonals and several brewery exclusives only available on-site. He plans to sell to restaurants, bars and retail outlets.

Wilson pitched his plan for a special exception to allow beer manufacturing and retail sales under a manufacturing license within the 28,000-square-foot section of the five-building complex that once was occupied by the Rockbestos Corp.

Wilson said history, in a way, would be repeating itself, as there are some public records that indicate there was a beer garden on that property in the late 1800s.

Already part of the 190,000-square-foot former factory and warehouse is mActivity, a health club/gym with a coffee bar, while it has also been approved for 89,000 square feet of office space.

Wilson spoke at the Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday night, as did Paul Kaplan, owner of 687 State St., and Colin Caplan, who wants to open a restaurant in the Jet Cleaners building run by the Amore family for more than a half-century.

It was not clear when the proposed restaurant would be in operation.

The BZA approved a special exception to allow a restaurant and brew pub license for Kaplan to sell beer and other alcoholic beverages from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday at the 687 State St. property.

Wilson is looking for a second special exception to permit zero on-site parking spaces where 29 are required.

The owner of the Nicoll Street property, Rishi Narang, has permission to build a 93-car garage in the basement and the Board of Zoning Appeals staff has recommended approval of the brewrey, but no certificate of occupancy until the garage is available.

The plan will now go to the City Plan Commission on the parking issue and then back to the Board of Zoning Appeals next month. Wilson will need separate zoning relief for an outdoor patio for customers.

The garage is expected to be built within six months and would accommodate future office workers during the day, with most of the visitors to the brewery’s 3,000-square-foot tasting room and retail area anticipated in the evening.

Wilson would hope to start building in fall and open in spring. He plans to produce 4,500 barrels of beer per year and up to 45,000 barrels with additional investment. He told the neighbors he expects the noise and odors to be mainly contained.

Stephen Fontana, deputy economic development director, said the brewery would be an amenity to the neighborhood and the city, while David Budries, chairman of the East Rock Community Management Team, said it was favorably received at two meetings in the neighborhood.

Festa welcomed it as a place for the community to congregate and as another taxpayer and job producer.

Two residents of Canner Street were not happy with the brewery plan. Michael Bradford said it should close at 8 p.m. and close on Sunday, and said patrons would not pay to use the garage, but instead would park in the neighborhood.

He also worried about truck deliveries, the noise and odors. Another neighbor worried about increased vandalism.

Economic Development Administrator Matthew Nemerson said the Kaplan project would be a great use on State Street, as did attorney Timothy Yolan, who has an office nearby. Jerry Iannaccone, of Good Fellows, welcomed another restaurant to that section of State Street.