[slideshow_deploy id=’899′]by MICHAEL OLOHAN
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
Tenafly, New Jersey—If a Stella Artois on tap or glass of Sauvingnon Blanc sounds appealing, you may be in luck next year at Tenafly’s historic railroad station.
New bid specifications to lease the station—a borough-owned property built in 1872—will include an option for the new tenant to serve beer and wine, said council members July 16.
After much debate, council members agreed to offer an alcohol option for lease bidders in hopes of increasing annual lease revenue. The revised specs for a 10-year lease will be presented to council members Aug. 13 by Borough Attorney William McClure, who suggested adding an alcohol option to the lease earlier this year. The lease expires Dec. 31.
Currently the property is leased by Cafe Angelique, a restaurant and bistro.
Reached July 17, Mayor Peter Rustin said the revised specs would be reviewed in August and bidders likely solicited in September. He said should the winning bidder wish to serve alcohol, the winning bidder must apply to the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a license.
The state review process to approve a takes approximately two months from application, he said.
Rustin said should a winning bidder want to serve alcohol there, council members can revisit the alcohol license option should the tenant want to add other types of spirits.
McClure said that a winning bidder could renovate the inside of the historic train station—with necessary building approvals—without needing approval from the Historic Preservation Commission due to the building’s landmark status.
While the historic designation mostly protects the building’s architecturally distinctive facade and appearance, Rustin suggested it might be wise to involve the commission due to their involvement in recent renovations and expertise in preservation.
Most council members appeared in favor of offering an option for beer and wine, while suggestions to add so-called hard liquors such as Sambuca, etc., were not favored.
Councilman Tony Barzellato said he would prefer a bring your own bottle (BYOB) option for the station.
Rustin repeatedly asked whether adding “booze” to such as central downtown location was a good idea.
Several times during discussion, council members noted other forms of liquor might be appropriate but generally appeared to want to limit alcohol options to beer and wine, at least initially.
Council members agreed to limit the specs to food establishments with an option for a liquor license to sell beer and wine only. While potential tenants are not required to serve alcohol, a winning bidder may apply for a permit to serve beer and wine, noted Rustin.
After McClure described an issue with another facility serving alcohol and having to segregate underage servers away from areas where alcohol was served, Barzellato said he saw problems.
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“I just think…we’re asking for trouble,” he said, should alcohol possibly be served by someone not permitted to serve.
While Rustin partly agreed with potential difficulties in offering alcohol, he noted the responsibilities for meeting state alcohol regulations fall on the tenant, not the borough.
“Beer and wine is fine…after a couple of years with that, with the consent of the tenant, we can make a change,” said Rustin to McClure, who generally agreed revisions could be made.
Borough Administrator Jewel Thompson-Chin and McClure agreed to draft bid specs for the lease to be review Aug. 13. Thompson-Chin asked whether the council wanted to limit it to a dining establishment and was told that it did.
Previously, more than a decade ago, the railroad facility featured various tenants from a hair salon to art gallery.
McClure said a tenant is required to give a sketch of the building interior for the state regulatory agency to approves the layout and how alcohol may be served inside the restaurant. No cooking or grilling is currently allowed on premises, only microwaving, due to the site’s historic status.
Rustin also noted the chance that a winning bidder would apply and not qualify for a liquor license, which might cause a rebidding of the contract, or it would possibly go to the next highest bidder.
In the case a winning bidder is not qualified to get a liquor license, that may possibly delay occupation of the facility.
Tenants are required to pay rent and property taxes to lease the railroad station, McClure noted.
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