Finnegans Wake Expansion Plan

**thesomersteam** · 05-30-2012, 07:10 PM

Any opinions on the board over the expansion plan of Finnegans Wake?

A recent article was published on Philly.com today:

Northern Liberties bar gets OK on part of expansion plan

Just the first paragraph sounds a little bizarre:

"The City Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend approval of part of a controversial expansion plan for a Northern Liberties bar that is owned by a city Democratic committeeman and that sits next door to the committee’s new headquarters."

**mattruben** · 05-30-2012, 08:09 PM

Another, more complete, report:

Planning recommends striking part of Bodine Street to add Finnegan's Wake patio, but says no to balconies over Spring Garden

**mixiboi** · 05-30-2012, 08:54 PM

Been there done that, got the t-shirt:

http://www.philadelphiaspeaks.com/fo...gans-wake.html

Its going ot happen, as the Democratic Party uses Finnegans Wake, so it makes sense why ill have a private party area for their HQ.

Is it cool? Not really, but its not like they are taking out a real street.

**loveisnoise** · 06-22-2012, 05:08 PM

Now they get to have their decks over the frontage of Spring Garden, and close bodine for their trash pits. This is going to be one massive crap show-can't wait for the first drunk to fall or get thrown off the patios!

» Finnigan’s Wake Gets All Borg Like Foobooz Philadelphia

**BrianL** · 06-22-2012, 05:11 PM

Let's hope it happens soon so they get sued and shut down

**RainboTeabagger** · 06-22-2012, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by loveisnoise

Now they get to have their decks over the frontage of Spring Garden, and close bodine for their trash pits. This is going to be one massive crap show-can't wait for the first drunk to fall or get thrown off the patios!

» Finnigan’s Wake Gets All Borg Like Foobooz Philadelphia

Every Mardi Gras dumb meatheads fall from similar style decks to their death. Hopefully the same will happen here.

**RealEstate** · 06-26-2012, 09:14 PM

I can't believe this got approved.

Finnigan's Wake Building Two Story Balcony Over Sidewalk | Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

**ArcticSplash** · 06-26-2012, 11:43 PM

The renderings are crap (and blurry). It looks like an overinflated Cracker Barrel.

**Jayfar** · 09-12-2012, 07:38 AM

They get Bodine St, but not the balconies and sidewalk land grab on Spring Garden.

Nutter vetoes balconies on Finnigan's Wake

**thetalkingmule** · 09-12-2012, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Jayfar

They get exactly what they wanted.[/url]

Fixed.

**mixiboi** · 09-12-2012, 12:51 PM

Well not really, they wanted a deck...now hey just got a beer garden....

Now its just going to look weird as how the Democrats office was built to have a deck connecting to it....

**DocAwesome** · 09-12-2012, 12:53 PM

There is a part of me that thinks the sidewalk grab was just there to make the Bodine grab palatable, however due to the players in this fight I believe that they may actually count this as one win instead of two wins for them.

**thetalkingmule** · 09-12-2012, 05:00 PM

The objective was to get the Bodine property and now that they have it, the deck is just a matter of time.

**Bobbie3Sheets** · 09-12-2012, 08:05 PM

Anyone else think they were only after Bodine St and they proposed the decks as a distraction?

**ArcticSplash** · 09-12-2012, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by thetalkingmule

The objective was to get the Bodine property and now that they have it, the deck is just a matter of time.

Yeah some certain folks are not happy with me when I raised a stink about PTSSD using non-profit money to give a $73K grant to the bar to help do their outdoor smoking patio (Bodine St.).

I'm sure the funds have been secured through a more apropos and much less smellier means by now.

If I lived behind Finnegan's, I'd sell.

**mattruben** · 09-12-2012, 11:32 PM

I just spoke to Councilman Squilla. He said Council leadership is going to schedule a veto-override vote on the bill. I assume that will happen immediately, during Council's Sep 13 session.

He said it's because of the principle of Councilmanic prerogative. As folks may know, whenever a district Council member introduces a bill that impacts only his or her district, the other 16 members traditionally vote for it as a courtesy - and they expect the administration not to veto it, for the same reason. Council has a standing practice of voting a straight 17-0 to override any Mayoral veto of a bill that's considered a "Councilmanic prerogative" bill, regardless of what's in the bill. (Which is why Mayors hardly ever veto such bills, and why it was a surprise when Mayor Nutter did so.)

Councilman Squilla also reiterated that as far as he's concerned, Finnigan's will not start building anything unless and until they come to an agreement with the community, and both the Bodine and Spring Garden ordinances are amended accordingly.

So that's the most recent information we've received.

Best,
Matt

**BALLZ2BHERE** · 09-13-2012, 07:51 AM

Matruben Just want to say thanks for the info ! ( and Squilla should go **** in his hat and wear that ) sure hope he is a one term council member,I know he has lost my vote along with some other grease balls in this city..Not smart for elected officials to over ride there own community wishes for friendly handouts !
O and keep an eye on Maria Sanchez another council member who just over rode here community wishes and lampooned community efforts to save historical banks at Front and Norris sts. This croney **** should be there one way ticket out of city hall !~

**notherrealname** · 09-13-2012, 01:17 PM

Squilla had a week to decide whether to try to overturn it, but he's forcing it through today? He probably doesn't want to give anyone time to write to the at-large council members about how much this thing stinks. I hope we all remember this in the next election cycle.

**Ho Chi Minh** · 09-13-2012, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by notherrealname

Squilla had a week to decide whether to try to overturn it, but he's forcing it through today? He probably doesn't want to give anyone time to write to the at-large council members about how much this thing stinks. I hope we all remember this in the next election cycle.

Done deal: Council overrides Nutter's veto of Finnigan's Wake expansion

Good luck with replacing Squilla. He was the handpicked sucessor to DiCicco, fully supported by Bobby Brady and Local 98.

**the mule** · 09-13-2012, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by mattruben

I just spoke to Councilman Squilla. He said Council leadership is going to schedule a veto-override vote on the bill. I assume that will happen immediately, during Council's Sep 13 session.

He said it's because of the principle of Councilmanic prerogative. As folks may know, whenever a district Council member introduces a bill that impacts only his or her district, the other 16 members traditionally vote for it as a courtesy - and they expect the administration not to veto it, for the same reason. Council has a standing practice of voting a straight 17-0 to override any Mayoral veto of a bill that's considered a "Councilmanic prerogative" bill, regardless of what's in the bill. (Which is why Mayors hardly ever veto such bills, and why it was a surprise when Mayor Nutter did so.)

Councilman Squilla also reiterated that as far as he's concerned, Finnigan's will not start building anything unless and until they come to an agreement with the community, and both the Bodine and Spring Garden ordinances are amended accordingly.

So that's the most recent information we've received.

Best,
Matt

Nutter vetoed it as a purely symbolic motion. Based on his tenure in City Council and his history of being a responsive councilman for his constituents I would trust Nutter's opposition to be sincere, but whether it was sincere or simply for appearances is irrelevant; either way he knew full well his veto would be overridden. Now he can point to it and wash his hands of any blame for the expansion.

Squilla's statement about no construction until there is an agreement with the community is about as credible as his statement that he wouldn't introduce the bill without an agreement with the community.