ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A proposed development in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine is getting pushback from neighbors who are worried about large crowds and traffic on their small street.
Ryan Dettra, who co-founded the Ice Plant Bar, introduced plans to the city’s planning board earlier this month. He wants to turn an old barn on the corner of Riberia Street and La Quinta Place into a multi-use space with a steam locomotive exhibit, a restaurant inside a train car that Dettra says will seat up to 60 people, a local goods marketplace and a distillery that will offer tours.
Dettra says the proposed space will celebrate the history of the railroads in St. Augustine. In order to build the distillery, he needs the city to rezone the lot.
Neighbors on La Quinta Place say the proposal is not how the lot is intended to be used.
“I’m not opposed to the development of this property but I am against the higher-intensity use and the liquor sales. I just think it’s going to be a real problem and I don’t think I’m going to feel safe here,” Jackie Hird, said.
They also worry about crowds, noise, and traffic increasing in the area.
“It’s going to be like a circus between a train coming in, a museum, a brewery a distillery. My other concern is parking," Cheryl Kabanaugh, said.
Dettra says he is working on plans to alleviate traffic and to develop accessible off-site parking.
“The neighbors do have some concerns that we’re trying to address, because the traffic should stay on the main road Riberia and shouldn’t be on the residential side," Dettra said. "So off-site parking I think is better for the residents because we could put 6-10 spaces on there, but that’s not going to be enough."
As far as liquor sales, Dettra says alcohol sales are a small part of his business model and that there have been no issues at the Ice Plant Bar so he doesn’t expect any problems if a new distillery is put across the street.
“I think we’ve proven that this is a business model that works well with the community," Dettra said.
Dettra will present more details about this proposal at a St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board meeting Tuesday, August 1 at 1 p.m.