Select Board approves Esme�s roof deck at 1306 Beacon Street; entertainment license to follow

The Brookline Select Board on Aug. 19 approved an alteration-of-premises application for D2 Restaurants LLC, doing business as Esmes (formerly Hops & Scotch), to add a 1,000-square-foot roof deck at 1306 Beacon Street in Coolidge Corner.

Attorney Stephanie Boudreaux, representing the applicant, told the board the roof deck is nearly complete and that total occupancy with the deck would be 134, with 45 persons on the roof: "Total occupancy with the roof deck will be 134 with 45 occupancy on the roof," she said. The application described a 30-by-30-foot roof deck and interior changes including an added second-floor bathroom.

Board members raised questions about access and entertainment. David Ng, manager of Esmes, confirmed the roof will be accessible via internal stairs and that the building has elevator access for mobility-impaired customers. Tiffany (Town Administrator operations) told the board that the restaurants existing entertainment license does not automatically cover outdoor music and that the applicant must revise the entertainment license to include the outdoor area: "They would need to revise that to include the outdoor area and that music would be there," Tiffany said.

The Select Board voted unanimously to approve the alteration of premises for an all-alcohol restaurant license that incorporates the roof deck into the licensed premises. The board also directed that any outdoor entertainment (music) will require a separate amendment to the entertainment license before music may be played on the deck; that application will go to the licensing panel and then to the Select Board if needed.

Ending: With the boards approval, Esmes may operate the roof deck for food and beverage service under the amended license; a separate entertainment-license amendment will be required for outdoor music or live performances.