Libra Cafe Wins Later Hours

An Annex restaurant received unanimous approval from zoning to extend its weekend hours until 1 a.m. — after fierce community debate.

Miriam Martin, the owner of Libra Cafe on Main Street in the Annex, applied for a special exception to operate her restaurant until 1 a.m. from Thursday through Sunday, arguing that she faced a competitive disadvantage by being forced to close earlier than similar local businesses. Annex Alder Al Paolillo, Jr., and neighbors said the restaurant’s patrons have increased trash and noise and decreased parking in the area, problems they said the extended hours would only exacerbate.

Martin’s lawyer, Miguel Amodovar (right in above photo, with Martin), said a large part of his client’s business comes from booking private events, but that she noticed her revenue dropping in the past year. Martin’s customers were going to other restaurants, since Libra closes at 10 p.m., he said.

The debate took place at Tuesday night’s Board of Zoning Appeals meeting at 200 Orange St. After hearing the testimony, the board voting to allow the later hours.

In typical ​“Hispanic culture,” Almodovar said, ​“events tend to start a little bit later.” Manhattan’s Bar & Grill on Forbes Avenue and Fireside Bar & Grill on Woodward Avenue both are allowed to stay open at least until 1 a.m. and can sell liquor, in addition to beer and wine. Libra’s Cafe can only sell beer and wine. Almodovar said it was ​“not fair for my client to be in a [business] zone and have hours significantly shorter than competitors in the industry in the area.”

Martin received verbal agreements to use the parking lots at 43 and 44 Main St. in the Annex, to prevent late-night parking battles between patrons and neighbors, Almodovar said. Although Libra Cafe has a ​“history of unruly customers,” Martin has ​“taken this very seriously” and will maintain the low number of violations at the property, he said.

Three police reports are on file for incidents at Libra Cafe throughout 2014 — including a disorderly conduct incident and a liquor violation charge last summer. Almodovar argued that Martin has dramatically decreased the number of disruptions that occur at Libra Cafe, in part by catering to families and businesses.

Silvia Castro, a cook at Libra Cafe, was one of three people who spoke up in favor of Martin receiving the extended hours. (Norma Rodriguez, owner of La Voz Hispana, translated for her from Spanish to English. They’re pictured together at the top of the story) Martin is a single, hard-working woman trying to run a business in her neighborhood, Castro said. ​“We have worked hard together. … People who are well off look at us and don’t understand the struggles we’ve gone to.”

She said Alder Paolillo and those criticizing the restaurant had never actually been there, though Martin had invited them.

Paolillo said he had never been to Libra, just as he hadn’t gone to Manhattan or Fireside. ​“I never knew that was a requirement as an elected official,” he quipped. He said he has held all three establishments accountable for violating terms of their liquor licenses, after neighborhood outcries. The liquor enforcement squad has made several visits to Libra in past years and found the restaurant was selling hard liquor or open ​“way past 10 p.m.,” he said. ​“These are not benefits to a neighborhood.”

Adjacent property owner Richard Loricco said Martin’s patrons have been ​“capriciously driving over [his] property,” leading him to spend hundreds of dollars putting up a fence between the two.

Zoning staff recommended denial of the application. But board members said they worried about Martin’s lack of ability to compete with local businesses. Charles Decker said the police reports showed that ​“even given the concerns of the neighbors … the situation has gotten better in the last couple of years.” They unanimously passed through the exception.