Suher, a major property owner in downtown Northampton, was summoned to the commission’s last meeting to update it on the progress of a church he is restoring at 298 Main St. and a lounge he intends to create at 26-28 Center St.
NORTHAMPTON – The License Commission will begin what promises to be a regular routine of calling businessman Eric Suher before it when it meets on Wednesday.
Suher, a major property owner in downtown Northampton, was summoned to the commission’s last meeting to update it on the progress of a church he is restoring at 298 Main St. and a lounge he intends to create at 26-28 Center St. He holds liquor licenses for both properties but they have been dormant during development.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has been cracking down on the failure to use such licenses, called “pocket licenses.” In a letter to the commission, City Solicitor Alan Seewald noted progress has been slow on those two projects for years and recommended that the commission call Suher to task.
At the last meeting, Suher agreed to update the License Commission on the projects, which he has said will be ready soon, in exchange for keeping his licenses.
Also on the agenda is a violation hearing regarding Tully O’Reilly and The Elevens. In September, the commission suspended the Pleasant Street establishment’s liquor license following a hearing requested by Police Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz. Sienkeiwicz cited a list of occasions on which police were summoned to the area because of fights and other disturbances in and outside the bar. One such incident on June 16 resulted in seven arrests. Although there are separate entrances to Tully O’Reilly’s and The Elevens, the two operate under the same liquor and entertainment license.
In addition to the suspension, the commission restricted entertainment to live music on the premises, specifically prohibiting the use of disc jockeys. Last month, John St. Onge, who manages The Elevens, asked the commission to exempt The Elevens from that restriction, saying the lack of a disk jockey has hurt business there. The commission denied the request. Now it is calling the bar to task for an alleged violation.