WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Church Opposes Renovation of Firehouse into Restaurant (Norwich-WTNH) _ Plans to turn an old Norwich fire station into a restaurant is not going over too well with some. City officials were hoping to get a liquor license for the building but local church leaders protested. News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports. For almost a hundred years the building has been a home to Norwich fire fighters. but if city officials get their way it will someday become a restaurant. Kelly Stachowicz, City Development Coordinator: "There's a need for restaurants in downtown Norwich and there's an interest in having them by citizens and by tourists as well." So to make this place even more attractive to developers, the city set out to get a liquor license. It needed special permission because the fire house is within 200 feet of a church. That's where the trouble began. The old fire house is right next to the United Congregational Church. Leaders here didn't like the idea of a bar or restaurant as a neighbor and certainly didn't want liquor served on the premises. They protested and now the city has backed-down. To a lot of people it's a disappointing and puzzling development. Richard Brax, Norwich: "I don't think a restaurant here with a liquor license would harm the social aspects of the area." Charlotte Silvestri, Norwich: "I think it would be a nice place for a restaurant, and tavern, we don't have very many nice eateries here in Norwich to speak of." Marcel Bouley agrees. He owns the 'Engine No. 6 Pizza Company' in Norwich, which also used to be a city fire house. Since he opened his business has been red-hot and he thinks a restaurant here would do extremely well. Marcel Bouley, Restaurant Owner: "I think it would be ideal, if they could put in a nice bar, if they could set up the dining area with a fire house motif, I think people would flock to the place." Stachowicz: "There are a lot things you could do with this building, so we're confident something good will happen, we hope for a win-win situation." Church leaders did not return our calls for comment. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Church Opposes Renovation of Firehouse into Restaurant
(Norwich-WTNH) _ Plans to turn an old Norwich fire station into a restaurant is not going over too well with some. City officials were hoping to get a liquor license for the building but local church leaders protested.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports.

Firehouse For almost a hundred years the building has been a home to Norwich fire fighters. but if city officials get their way it will someday become a restaurant.

Kelly Stachowicz, City Development Coordinator: "There's a need for restaurants in downtown Norwich and there's an interest in having them by citizens and by tourists as well."

So to make this place even more attractive to developers, the city set out to get a liquor license. It needed special permission because the fire house is within 200 feet of a church. That's where the trouble began. The old fire house is right next to the United Congregational Church. Leaders here didn't like the idea of a bar or restaurant as a neighbor and certainly didn't want liquor served on the premises. They protested and now the city has backed-down. To a lot of people it's a disappointing and puzzling development.

Richard Brax, Norwich: "I don't think a restaurant here with a liquor license would harm the social aspects of the area."

Charlotte Silvestri, Norwich: "I think it would be a nice place for a restaurant, and tavern, we don't have very many nice eateries here in Norwich to speak of."

Marcel Bouley agrees. He owns the 'Engine No. 6 Pizza Company' in Norwich, which also used to be a city fire house. Since he opened his business has been red-hot and he thinks a restaurant here would do extremely well.

Marcel Bouley, Restaurant Owner: "I think it would be ideal, if they could put in a nice bar, if they could set up the dining area with a fire house motif, I think people would flock to the place."

Stachowicz: "There are a lot things you could do with this building, so we're confident something good will happen, we hope for a win-win situation."

Church leaders did not return our calls for comment.

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