The VCC Architectural Review Committee has given provisional approval to Cafe Habana, Richard Webster reports, which means owner Sean Meenan and team are a step closer to bringing their long-awaited/long-debated Cuban restaurant to the blighted gas station and a two-story townhouse at the corner of Rampart and Esplanade. But naturally, it won't be that easy. After two years of fighting, opponents still believe the restaurant could draw in 1000+ patrons if it wanted, though the actual plans call for a capacity of 172 people. Opponents have also filed a request to appear before City Council to appeal the VCC's approval of Cafe Habana's conceptual design.
Meenan and company must now complete at least two more insurmountable Ninja Warrior challenges before the VCC approves the restaurant: design plan and construction document approval. Cafe Habana will go before the VCC for design approval next Tuesday, but first must revise design plans to fully show the use of utilities and the outside area (which apparently will be used a waiting area only and not for dining). If all is well in that meeting, the project can then seek "approval of construction documents," and move onward toward City Council fun time.
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