By Christina Georgiou
"Daddy's Place" is likely to open in the former Northampton Glass building before year's end, after the plan was approved by the Easton Zoning Hearing Board last evening and the city's planning commission earlier this month.
The new restaurant, located at 650 Northampton St., which will also offer a convenience store with six-pack carry out service, plans to install a brick oven, which owner Sharbel Koorie says will be the heart of the operation.
Sandwiches and wraps, both hot and cold, will be at the heart of the new eatery's menu, but Daddy's Place will also feature Lebanese specialties, he said, including meat, spinach and thyme pies. Bread for sandwiches will also likely be baked on the premises in the oven too.
"The heart of the business will be around that oven," Koorie told planning commission members on Sept. 5. "We're hoping to do a nice breakfast menu too."
While Koorie faced tough questioning from Planning Commission member Dennis Lieb at that meeting, largely focused on the business' plans for a liquor license and it's carry and take out service, Zoning Hearing Board members asked fewer questions about the new businesss after a lengthy presentation where Koorie answered questions posed by Downtown Easton lawyer Ted Davis, who represents Koorie.
Lieb contended the West Ward's quality of life would be negatively impacted by the addition of another business that serves alcohol and worried the convenience store would attract "undesirables."
He also questioned if Koorie, who is related by marriage to the owners of the nearby "Beer Brothers" distributorship, would be sourcing his beers from that business, a question that was deemed somewhat inappropriate by city legal counsel.
Lieb was the only Easton Planning Commission member to vote "no" on Sept. 5
The plan to convert the building includes fixing a leaking roof and water run-off problems with the due to the slope on the south side of the structure. The building is built into the steep hill and currently floods during rainstorms, Koorie testified. A retaining wall is also planned to mitigate the issue.
The business was also granted relief from some parking and landscaping requirements from both regulatory boards.
Koorie, a life-long West Ward resident, testified that he expects a large number of customers will be pedestrians from the surrounding residential neighborhood and doesn't expect parking to be an issue with the current 13 parking spots the property already has. Relief was requested for an additional 12 spots that would normally be required for a restaurant in that district.
Adequate street parking is largely available on Northampton Street on that block, unlike many surrounding ones where it is at a premium, those present at both hearings agreed.
The landscaping requirement variance request was made for security reasons, Koorie said, as the back of the property is somewhat secluded and attracts "undesirables" which can't be seen by law enforcement due to the foliage. Not replacing the trees will hopefully eliminate the problem.
"We've already had three trailer loads of trash hauled away (from back there," Koorie said Monday evening, adding that he wants to keep the area clean and free from trouble.
One neighboring resident expressed concerns at Monday's zoning hearing board meeting that the lights from the new business, combined with the removal of the tree buffer would disturb residents.
Eric Wenzelberger also worried the establishment might "turn bad" despite Koorie's stated intentions, he told the board.
But zoning board vice-chair Michael Civitella said he felt the use of the run-down structure is a good fit.
"This thing was an eyesore, and now it's going to be something nice," Civitella said. "It's in character with the neighborhood."
The other two present members of the zoning board, chairman James Edinger and member Michael Brett, agreed. The other two members, Lynne Starke and Pamela Panto, were absent Monday evening.
Wenzelberger said after the meeting he was satisfied after hearing Koorie's full plan that the new restaurant and take-out establishment, which will seat 30 indoors and have another 22 seats outdoors in season, will be a good addition for the neighborhood.
Koorie's wife and son will run the restaurant, and he will continue to work his day job with the city's codes enforcement department, he said.
Daddy's Place will be open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with some hours to be determined on Sundays, Koorie said.
"But Sunday will be a shorter day," he said.
The work on the property is to be done by West Ward contractor Nick Alfero, also present at both hearings, and is expected to commence in the near future.
