The Chophouse - Union Cattle Company
Einstein's (1301 Manhattan Avenue) is to be (has been) replaced by a Texas-style "chophouse," The Union Cattle Company. Included on the plans filed with the City is a mechanical bull. One of the applicants is Fred Hahn of Patrick Molloy's Steakhouse. The application (to modify the CUP or PDP) was heard on December 4, 2002 by the Hermosa Planning Commission, and approved 3-1 (Ayes: Kersenboom, Perrotti, Tucker. Nay: Hoffman. Absent: Pizer). On Dec. 10 two councilmembers (Keegan and Dunbabin - only two votes are required) voted to schedule a re-hearing (appeal) before the council, on January 14. At that meeting the project was approved, 4-1, Councilmember Dunbabin dissenting. Following are the minutes from that meeting, a noise analysis the applicants prepared for that meeting, and other Molloy's/Union Cattle documents.
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c.APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND PRECISE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AMENDMENT TO RECONFIGURE AN EXISTING RESTAURANT WITH ON-SALE GENERAL ALCOHOL, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND OUTDOOR DINING AT 1301 MANHATTAN AVENUE, EIN STEIN'S.
Memorandum from Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld dated December 18, 2002 (PDF File). Director Blumenfeld presented the staff report and responded to Council questions, noting that the applicants were requesting a change from the Planning Commission decision that would allow all patios to be open until 12:30 A.M.
The public hearing opened at 8:37 P.M. Coming forward to address the Council on this item were: Allen Sanford - applicant, representing Philia 5 Group, LLC, said he appreciated the opportunity to provide more detailed plans about the operation, to clear up a miscommunication, and to request another change; explained that the remodel and renovation of the property would result in the April opening of the Union Cattle Company, a steak/chop house; Jed Sanford - applicant, said the requested modification to increase all patio hours to 12:30 A.M. when the kitchen will close, would increase the chance of success for the restaurant since the patios made up 51% of their seating capacity and provided aesthetic appeal, noting that walls around the patios would attenuate noise; said they intended to enclose the lowest patio with a roof as an option to be phased in later, not a requirement;
Don Behrens - acoustical engineer for the project, explained that the applicants had not requested a full-blown analysis but only attenuation potential with proposed mitigation; said the walls alone should result in considerable noise reduction;
Jed Sanford - said an acoustical study had not been required by the City but they were being pro-active to reduce noise; did not believe that people on the patio created a noise problem, but said the proposed walls would reduce any noise; cited three other proposed noise mitigation factors: (1) creation of a vestibule (two sets of doors) at the front entrance, (2) an interior waiting area, and (3) signage inside and outside to remind patrons to be courteous to the neighbors; said other positive factors included the conversion from a club to a restaurant, replacement of heavy bass club music, and no amplification of music on the patios;
Rick Koenig - Hermosa Beach, said he had been hired to renovate the property; stated that, as someone who knows the plans well and is a resident of the immediate neighborhood, he supported this restaurant which he planned to patronize and thought it would be quieter than the current establishment;
James McClure - Hermosa Beach, said his business was a block and a half from this location; said he welcomed a restaurant to enjoy American food with his wife, which would provide a change from the nearby bars and foreign food restaurants;
Gary Valleriani - said he an his wife supported this restaurant which he felt would bring diversity and attract people to come to the exciting community of Hermosa Beach to work, play, and spend money; said he knew the Sanfords to be the kind of people who would be good for the community;
Steven Jones - Redondo Beach, said he had designed three dozen restaurants in 20 states and felt that the sound attenuation measures would be effective; asked the Council to give them every chance to establish a successful business, noting that the Council would still have the authority to close the business in the event of CUP violations;
Bill Soloman - Hermosa Beach, supported the applicants' venture to improve this location to a restaurant from a bar; said it would be the type of quality restaurant which would be good for the community and which he and his wife planned to frequent;
Greg Menroph - Hermosa Beach, said one of the applicants used to work for him and that, through him, he met the other members of the group, which he felt had the respect and responsibility to operate a successful business, which would be an asset to the community;
Ian McDonnelly - Hermosa Beach, supported the project; said he had known the applicants for 15 years, having grown up with them, and could vouch for their character; said that, as a younger professional, he spent most of his time in Manhattan Beach but would welcome a place to get a good steak in Hermosa Beach;
Carla Merriman - representing the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce, spoke in support of the project, noting that Hermosa Beach currently lacked a high quality American food restaurant that catered to families; said that there was always concern from neighborhoods about the sound of talking and car alarms as people walked back to their cars; spoke of the possibility for valet parking at the St. Cross Episcopal Church, which would also benefit the church;
Sandy Rohrbach - Hermosa Beach resident and business owner, said that as a parent to small children, she welcomed a restaurant for kids that offered more than hamburgers and would allow the children to have fun riding the mechanical bull;
J. Travers Divine - Hermosa Beach, supported the idea of a family steak house, calling it an improvement for the neighborhood from the current business; said their business plan looked exceptional; urged the Council to give them every consideration;
Bill Brock - Hermosa Beach, a local businessman, said that every new enterprise involved risk and this investment was considerable; urged the Council to avoid increasing the odds of failure with unfair restrictions or assumptions;
Jim Geirlich - Hermosa Beach, said his home was about 150 yards from the property, said bars and restaurants had always been a part of the Hermosa Beach scene during the 40 years he had been a resident; said the applicants were offering the opportunity to upgrade the business currently in this location;
Jim Lissner - Hermosa Beach, said he asked the applicants if they knew of another family restaurant which had a mechanical bull and they did not; pointed out that the applicants, as operators of Patrick Malloy's, had no experience running a family restaurant; questioned how a mechanical bull would contribute to the atmosphere of a quality family restaurant; expressed concern that the applicants would request a release of some of the conditions in the future; felt that it was an insult to Hermosa Beach intelligence to believe this would not become a club and once that happened, the City would be stuck with it; suggested that noise reduction would be accomplished only with a reduction in the hours of operation;
Jim Lapoint - Hermosa Beach, said that his bedroom was 40 feet from this location and, from what he knew of the applicants, he was confident that they would do what they say they would; said the safeguard of the six-month review would reinforce that and the City would have the ability to enforce CUP violations;
and Jean Greer - Hermosa Beach, said that she would like a good steak in town; did not feel that noise from the patio would be a problem because the sounds project toward the ocean and because of the eight-foot walls.
The public hearing closed at 9:17 P.M. Action: To approve the staff recommendation to adopt Resolution No. 03-6246, entitled "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, SUSTAINING THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION, UPON RECONSIDERATION, TO APPROVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND PRECISE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AS AMENDED, TO RECONFIGURE THE FLOOR PLAN, AND TO ALLOW GENERAL ALCOHOL IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN EXISTING RESTAURANT WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND OUTDOOR DINING, AT 1301 MANHATTAN AVENUE, AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOTS 16, 17 AND 23, TRACT 1125, AND LOTS 18 AND 19, BLOCK 34, FIRST ADDITION TO HERMOSA BEACH TRACT," revised as follows: 1.Interior and exterior building alterations and the continued use and operation of the restaurant shall be substantially consistent with the plans submitted and reviewed by the Planning Commission on December 4, 2002, except that the lowest level patio may not be enclosed with a roof; 2.Outdoor dining, seating and any use of the outdoor patio areas shall not be allowed later than 12:30 A.M.; 3.Signs shall be posted at the restaurant entry and on the outdoor patios requesting customers to "please be courteous to neighbors"; 4.A doorman shall be stationed at the front entry between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 2:15 A.M. on Friday and Saturday nights to monitor activity in the front of the restaurant and to make sure the door is not left open; and 5.The Planning Commission shall review the operation of the restaurant and the parking facility for compliance with conditions of approval and compliance with the Noise Ordinance six months from the opening of the new restaurant, and one year thereafter, and in response to any complaints. Motion Keegan, second Mayor Edgerton. The motion carried, with Councilmember Dunbabin dissenting.
End of minutes.
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The following chart is a noise analysis the applicants submitted on January 14.
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The applicants' letter to the planning commission in support of their application is immediately below. It was written by Allen Sanford, currently the manager of Patrick Molloy's. The letter indicates (page 2) that he will be the manager of the chophouse. The letter includes, as an attachment, the proposed menu.
Below that is a biography the applicants submitted to the planning commission.
Also, further below, are two menus from Molloy's - the original, as submitted to the ABC in 1996, and the entree and Happy Hour sections from a current one (November 2002).
And, at the bottom of this page, a legislative history of Molloy's - a listing of their requests to remove the conditions on their license.
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November 6, 2002
Attn: Sol Blumenfeld, Community
Development
Director
Honorable Chairman and Members of the Hermosa Beach
Planning Commission
From: Philia 5 Group, LLC
SUBJECT: 1301 MANHATTAN AVENUE - CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AMENDMENT RECONFIGURING AN EXISTING RESTAURANT WITH ON-SALE GENERAL ALCOHOL, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, AND OUTDOOR DINING.
Members of the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission,
This letter has been prepared in support of our application to amend the existing conditional use permit at 1301 Manhattan Avenue, the restaurant space currently occupied by the Einstein's Brewery and Restaurant. Our intent of this letter is to provide the commission a clear understanding of our concept, operational intent, and how we believe this business will be an asset to the city of Hermosa Beach. We hope that by sharing this information, the commission will gain a better understanding of the type of establishment we are striving to create, and as a result will be able to make a more informed decision in regards to our pending application.
For your convenience, we have organized
this
letter into the following sections:
(I) Restaurant Concept and Operational Plans
(II) Our Understanding of pre-existing issues and
concerns associated
with Einstein's operation
(III) Planned measures to adequately address these
pre-existing issues
and concerns
(IV) Project Summary
I. Restaurant Concept and Operational Plans
In developing and evaluating concepts for restaurant projects over the past three years, our partnership has maintained that a good concept must not only fit well within the hospitality industry, but must also fit into the community surrounding it. Based on this notion, as well as our collective experience as South Bay residents, the following are some observations we have made relating to the restaurant and bar industry in Hermosa Beach:
o Traditional "white-tablecloth" (premiere
service) restaurants have declined over the past five
years
o There are no restaurant establishments that serve as
representations,
or anchors, for Hermosa Beach (Ex. Gladstone's in
Malibu, Chez Melange
in Redondo, La Rive Gauche in Palos Verdes)
o The dining choices in Hermosa Beach are surprisingly
limited,
especially in regards to steakhouses o Cuisine-oriented
establishments
have disappeared with each new trend that has come along
o The steakhouse niche has become limited to either
high-end, reserved
restaurants (Fleming's, Charthouse) or low-end chains
(Outback, Black
Angus)
o The nightlife in Hermosa Beach has focused solely on
the 21-28
year-old demographic, leaving the older, more mature
crowd alienated
from the Pier Promenade
These observations, along with three years of restaurant design, have yielded a concept that we believe to be a strong fit within Hermosa Beach, and particularly within the restaurant space currently occupied by Einstein's Brewery and Restaurant. We call our concept a Chophouse, which is most easily defined as a modern-day derivation of the traditional steakhouse. The demographic focus of this concept is all encompassing; we are not concentrating on age groups (as restaurants traditionally do), but rather on taste and style. In regards to our menu, although we will have several vegetarian and seafood alternatives, it will consist primarily of beef, pork, and poultry specialty cuts prepared in simple fashion-no thick creme sauces or cuisine-heavy sides-just quality product prepared tastefully and comfortably, and served in large portions (see draft menu in Attachment A). We are planning to operate our kitchen from l2pm-l2am, Monday through Sunday, in order to fully capture the lunch, dinner, and late-evening appetizer clientele. We will also be providing take-out and full catering services. In addition, with one of our fundamental
[Page 2:]
precepts being "service is king," you can expect our table service to be impeccable, yet full of personality (unlike most of your high-end establishments).
After 10pm, although our kitchen will remain open, we are striving to create a transitional flow from a dining environment to more of an entertainment-flavored environment. Unlike the rest of Hermosa Beach though, our post-dinner business has been designed to attract an older, more sophisticated clientele who enjoy good conversation and quality cocktails rather than blaring music, dance lighting, and fog machines. What we definitely would like to make clear though is the fact that we are not trying to be like other establishments in the area; our entire marketing and advertising plan hinges on the restaurant, not club, atmosphere (in our plans, we have actually increased restaurant seating by decreasing total bar area). There will be no extremely loud, bass-filled music (then we cannot offer an atmosphere of conversation), no large dance floors (this takes away from the comfort of the space and hurts the aesthetic look thereof), and no obscene advertising or flyering.
Overall, the basis for our concept is based on our operating philosophy, the restaurant and bar experiences currently offered in Hermosa Beach, and the concept's fit with the existing premises. Given these factors, we believe our success to be hinged on our ability to create a restaurant-based operation, supported by a unique entertainment experience that the current size of Einstein's has the potential to provide. As a result, our floor plans for the premises have focused on reducing the existing bar, increasing restaurant-seating space, and developing multiple atmospheres to break up large void spaces. So whether our clientele would like a private dining or conference room, dinner at a quiet table on the outside patio, cocktails in the upstairs lounge, or appetizers at a booth in the energy-filled dining room, we will have the ability to answer those varying needs beyond expectation, which we believe no other restaurant in the greater South Bay can do.
Restaurant Type: Chophouse (energy-filled
steakhouse)
Hours of Operation: l2pm-2am, Monday through Sunday
Kitchen Hours of Operation: l2pm-l2am Monday through
Sunday
Estimated number of employees: 75-100
Demographic: 25+ singles & family: non-trendy,
comfortable
atmosphere filled with energy and class
Example Menu Items: Filet Mignon, Delmonico,
Porterhouse, Babyback
Ribs, Tequila-Lime Chicken
Bar: Full Liquor, Wine (extensive listing), and Beer
(self-brewed and
commercial)
Owners: Philia 5 Group: (1) Allen Sanford (2) Fred Hahn
(3) Jed Sanford
(4) Robert Bogdanovich (5) Brian Macias
Management: Allen Sanford
Types of Entertainment: Live piano / radio music Price
Point: $8-$25
(mid-range)
Decor: Historically-based Western theme / Texas Den
II. Our Understanding of Pre-existing Issues with Einstein's Brewery and Restaurant
"Summary: The primary issue concerning CUP compliance is related to noise. If noise issues can be satisfactorily mitigated staff believes the other issues can be resolved through working with the business owner." Sol Blumenfeld, Director at the October 15 Planning Commission meeting.
Although there are multiple concerns currently associated with the restaurant space at 1301 Manhattan Avenue, we agree that the noise issue seems to be of the greatest significance. Through our site research, and through speaking with Jim Lapointe (landowner) and several tenants in the building, we have found that there seems to be three areas of concern: (1) the noise emanating from patio 1, 2, and 3 after 10pm towards the adjacent buildings to the south and southwest (2) the noise emanating from the primary entrance on Manhattan Avenue (3) the shaking of walls/ceilings from the music in the salon underneath Einstein's second story. In addition, there also seems to be a peripheral concern unrelated to noise, which is the previous conversion of banquet/office area on the second floor to restaurant space.
Before we designed our floor plans, with the attenuation of these problems in mind, we met with the landowner, Jim Lapointe, as well as current building tenants, to more fully understand their perception of
[Page 3:]
the problems, and what might alleviate their concerns. As a result, the floor plans that we have designed reflect the improvements we decided to be most helpful in solving these problems. Below is a simple table which explains the current problem and shows what physical and operational steps we have taken to attenuate these problems.
III. Planned Measures to Attenuate these Pre-existing Issues
A. Noise emanating from patio 2 after
10pm
(per Jim Lapointe's complaint)
In talking with Jim about this problem, we employed both
physical and
operational solutions to remedy the concern:
(1) The south edge of patio 2, which is currently open
and faces Jim's
home, will become a solid stucco wall approximately 8-10
feet high
(varying height because of a slope in the top to follow
the roof
line)."
(2) We are installing laminated glass windows (more
acoustically sound
than double-paned), which are approximately 8 feet high,
around the
whole perimeter of patio 2.
(3) We are installing a piece of laminated glass over
the present
stairwell going from patio 2 down to patio 1 to prevent
noise drifting
to the west.
(4) We are keeping the retractable canvas roof
operational over patio
2.
(5) We will not have any amplification on patio 2
(except for
wedding/banquet purposes where a microphone is necessary
for the
ceremony).
B. Noise emanating from patio 1 after
10pm
(per Jim Lapointe's complaint)
Again, we have taken operational and physical measures
to ensure the
alleviation of this problem:
(1) Patio 1 has been completely enclosed and
weather-proofed, and can
now be considered part of the main restaurant area in
the interior of
the building.
(2) All of the doors on patio 1 will be self-closing
doors.
(3) The doors on the west wall of the room will be panic
doors, and
will remain shut at all times during operation.
(4) Any glass used on patio 1 will be laminated glass.
(5) As a precaution, we have planned to build an 8 foot
stucco wall
around the existing metal silo on the southwest edge of
the property in
order to further insulate the neighbors from any
incidental noise
arising from the opening and closing of the south door
on patio 1.
(6) Operationally, we have designated the south door on
patio 1 leading
to patio 2 as a service route; employees will be
expediting food via
this stairwell (supported by the L-shaped wall we have
created on patio
I designed to keep customers out of that path).
C. Noise emanating from patio 3 after
10pm
(per Jim Lapointe's complaint)
Taking into account current city and building
limitations, we have
arrived at the following solutions:
(1) Due to city height restrictions, we are not putting
a roof or
partial enclosure on patio 3. However, upon several site
inspections
after 12am, we believe that this patio is actually not a
problematic
patio, and that any feasible complaints that might have
arisen from
outside noise originated solely from patio 2.
(2) We are planning to install laminated glass windows
around the whole
perimeter of patio 3, including the partial walls on the
south of the
patio.
(3) Operationally, this patio has been designated as a
quiet dining
area with firepits (see floor layout). Our purpose in
designating this
area as such is to provide a foil to the high-energy
downstairs dining
area for people who enjoy the food, but prefer fewer
distractions.
D. Noise emanating from the primary
entrance
on Manhattan Avenue when the doors open
Although we do not foresee this as a major problem due
to lack of any
formal complaints (all of the complaints received by the
City of
Hermosa were from business owners within the
building-not from
residents on Manhattan Avenue), we have nevertheless
tried to
incorporate various solutions into our layout to further
appease our
surrounding neighbors:
(1) We have built an entrance into the front of the
restaurant, with
8-foot walls separating the front doors to the
restaurant. This room
serves as a vestibule, which muffles, or absorbs, any
sound originating
from within the restaurant.
[Page 4:]
(2) We have designated the second floor of the restaurant as our waiting area; when patrons come in to dine, they will be able to wait upstairs for a table rather than outside on Manhattan Avenue.
E. Shaking of ceiling in downstairs
salon due
to intense foot traffic and bass music
In trying to promote a positive relationship with
business neighbors,
we have come up with the following solution:
(1) Above the salon, we have taken the area formerly
used for dancing
and created two private dining rooms, equaling a total
of 297 sq. feet.
This will significantly decrease the amount of foot
traffic above the
salon, as these rooms will be used for private dining
only.
(2) Operationally, the volume level and style of music
played will
significantly decrease the amount of sound presently
traveling through
the walls.
F. Previous conversion of
office/banquet space
to restaurant space on second floor
Noted in the previous meeting of the Planning
Commission, this issue
seems to lie on the following question: if office
space was turned
into restaurant space and the parking limitations were
changed
accordingly, has the current restaurant space
accounted for the
increase in parking?
(1) When the Planning Commission met on February 20,
1996, and
discussed the PDP and CUP of the restaurant space
currently occupied by
Einstein's, it was noted that "the restaurant including
outside dining
results in a requirement of 55 spaces (8440 Sq. Ft.
gross floor area of
restaurant space at one space per 100 Sq. Ft. x 65%)."*
In this
description, there is no indication that Einstein's was
given a 1 per
250 Sq. Ft. allowance for the intended Office space.
Rather, the entire
gross square footage was dedicated entirely as
restaurant space, and
therefore the parking was figured at 1 per 100 Sq. Ft
for the entire
restaurant area. Because of this, placement, or size, of
any offices
within the restaurant does not seem to affect the
parking requirements
in any fashion for this specific operation.
(2) In addition to (1), the total amount of parking
required for the
entire building is 79 spaces, and the parking provided
is 83 spaces.*
*Please see Attachment B
IV. Project Summary
In transferring our Chophouse concept into the restaurant space at 1301 Manhattan Avenue, we have tried to not only alleviate the current problems relating to the surrounding neighbors and community, but have also tried to account for any deficiencies in the current operation in order to strengthen our position as a restaurant, and not a club, within Hermosa Beach. We have broken up the large amount of space inside by compartmentalizing the space (reducing noise as well), while at the same time increasing the restaurant seating and decreasing the bar area. We understand the current hesitance displayed by the City of Hermosa Beach, but hope that the information we have provided gives you a clear illustration of the type of restaurant we seek to open, and the type of clientele we are striving to attract. If you have any further questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to contact Allen Sanford at your convenience. Thank you for your time.
Regards,
Allen Sanford
Fred Hahn
Jed Sanford
Owner-Managers Philia 5 Group, LLC
Contact Information: Allen Sanford (310) 529-6500, ASANFY@aol.com fax (310) 798-2416 Fred Hahn (310) 779-0065 or (310) 798-9762, fax (310) 798.2416 Jed Sanford (310) 939-9833 or (310) 890-7149
Attachments: (A) Menu Draft (B) Hermosa City Planning Commission minutes from February 20, 1996
[Menu Draft:]
Chophouse Draft Menu
Items
Recipe & Descriptions Omitted [***]
1301 Manhattan Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA
