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Selected concessionaires seek DRI to expand cafe and cocktail bar at Kipsey station
Summary
A team selected by the MTA presented plans for a full-service restaurant and bar in an underutilized concession at Kipsey Train Station and requested DRI support to scale the build-out; they said KeyBank SBA financing is in process and that MTA approvals and an MTA-led timeline will affect start dates.
A pair of applicants selected by the MTA for the underutilized concession at Kipsey Train Station told the Local Planning Committee they are pursuing a full-service cafe and cocktail bar and are seeking DRI funds to expand the scope of the project.
Presenters Patrick McLaughlin and Andrew Lauren described submitted renderings and construction plans, and said local approvals will be limited to a building permit and a city liquor-license review. They said the MTA’s internal review will be a gating item: the MTA has indicated an internal timeline of about three to five months to resolve electrical and drainage issues before construction can start.
“We were chosen one year ago,” McLaughlin said, confirming the MTA selected their proposal through a competitive RFP process. He said the concession lease terms are expected to be 10 years with an optional 10-year extension.
The applicants said KeyBank is their likely lender for an SBA-backed loan, with a borrower contribution of about 10–15 percent, and that they have scaled their restaurant design up because a DRI award made a larger full-service operation feasible. When asked whether they would downscale if DRI funds were not awarded, they said the current design is their preferred concept but that an SBA-backed loan remains the primary financing route.
The LPC heard that the team does not plan other concurrent projects and that they have assembled hospitality operators and consultants with restaurant experience, including a CIA-trained operator and local marketing specialists. The committee did not take action; members flagged the MTA timeline and asked for coordination on permits and construction sequencing.
