Politics & Government
In Brief: Commission OKs Churchill's Bistro, Votes Down Play Birmingham
The discussion lasted into late Monday night as board discusses final site plans for the bistro and entertainment complex.
It was a contentious evening at the , as commissioners turned down the final site plan for Play Birmingham while approving plans for Churchill’s Bistro.
is the proposed entertainment center that had plans to move into 270 N. Old Woodward Ave., while is the combined bistro and cigar bar from the owners of . Both plans passed the city’s planning board.
Commissioners had concerns with both plans. For Churchill’s, commissioners were concerned that a bistro where patrons can smoke cigars — an allowed exception under the Michigan Smoke Free Law — didn’t fit the city’s original intent for a bistro. The restaurant, which would serve Latin- and Cuban-inspired cuisine, will sell cigars only to be smoked on premises.
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The vote was 4-3 in favor of the plan, with Commissioners Scott Moore, Stuart Sherman and Mayor Pro Tem Mark Nickita voting against.
Play Birmingham, however, was sent back to the drawing board after a late-night vote. The entertainment complex had plans to move into the former Buca di Beppo location on North Old Woodward, the basement beneath and an empty unit around the corner on Hamilton Row — all of which would be connected. The complex would include a restaurant, an eight-lane bowling alley, four pool tables, an electronic gaming center and a sweet shop.
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Commissioners were concerned about the potential increase in activity on the corner of Old Woodward and Hamilton — especially because the large, busy is next door.
Commissioners voted down the special land-use permit, which is required for the pool tables and electronic games, by a 4-3 vote. Commissioners Tom McDaniel, Sherman, Rackeline Hoff and Nickita voted against.
Southfield architect Ron Jona and the Dali Restaurant Group, which owns the and Chen Chow, are behind the plans and must now return to the planning board with new plans.
Come back to Birmingham Patch for complete stories on both votes.
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