No-Go for Old Blue Eyes Liquor License in Frontenac

The Frontenac Board of Aldermen was throwing directly from the mound Tuesday night. The six aldermen and mayor delivered up a soft, underhanded toss on the long-standing solar panel issue and then fired a high, hard brush back pitch to ownership of Blue Eyes Restaurant at 739 South Lindbergh Blvd. in Old Frontenac Square.

Old Blue Eyes, a Frank Sinatra, Rat Pack-themed restaurant has taken over the old Coco’s location on the northeast corner of Old Frontenac Square, a staff has been hired and trained, and opening day was set for Sept. 6.

Because of a sudden delay in the issuance of a liquor license, the restaurant, owned by Talayana’s Mike Faille goes back to the drawing board for a liquor license approval.

Neighbors living behind the restaurant on Cable Avenue in West End Park and within 300 feet of the front door are creating roadblocks. Signatures on permitting the liquor license are being challenged. The board voted to table the liquor license grant until a special meeting is called.

“We cannot open without a liquor license. No way,” said Andrew Ladlie, executive chef and general manager for Old Blue Eyes.

Old Blue Eyes will replace the eyesore of the abandoned Coco’s site. The site has set empty for a decade, other than when it was briefly used by a failed beauty salon.

The restaurant will seat 130, all indoors, and will feature an upscale Italian menu at competitive pricing.

“This is a wonderful location. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry. I learned culinary skills in New Orleans, and I am dealing with all the issues including maintaining a sanitary dumpster area, replacing fencing in the rear and making sure deliveries will be done without interfering with the neighborhood,” Laidlie said.

Meanwhile, after much wrangling for the better part of the year, the board of aldermen voted 6-0 to approve the usage of solar panels on  homes of Frontenac residents. However, it came with some caveats. Mayor Keith Krieg objected to provisions to allow for ground mounted panels and broke a 3-3 tie to strike that provision from the bill.

This doesn’t mark the end of a long journey for Tom and Becky Minogue, who live in the Lynbrook subdivision and first petitioned the board for a building permit almost a year ago.

The board modified restrictions so panels can be placed on the side as well as southern exposures of residences in the city.

However, the Minogue family, willing to invest upward of $20,000 to cut energy costs at their home are starting over. Contract costs no longer are applicable, and Becky Minogue indicated they would have to start taking new installation bids.

“We only qualify for a small portion on our garage facing south, so we cannot do the whole (project),” she said.

Still, she was pleased the bill passed and thanked everyone for taking the time to study the issue and approving the entire measure.