Irvington craft beer brewing business Black Acre Brewing Company got the go-ahead to expand the brewery’s capacity from a three barrel system to fifteen barrels in a location on Bonna Ave. The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC) met February 5 to hear a continuance on the case. About 20 Irvington residents and business owners braved the weather to show support for the variance, which was granted for five years and will allow brewing to take place in the C-3 zone.
At the January meeting about the variance, a remonstrator had stepped forward to raise questions about environment impacts and nuisance odors and discharges from the brewing process. John Mundell, who owns property and does business close to the Bonna Ave. project, said that he had studied the issue and Black Acre’s plans, and felt that there would be no environmental impact for neighbors.
Margaret Banning, Executive Director of Irvngton Development Organization, said that she polled other neighborhood organizations where local craft breweries have settled in the city. She noted that responses were very positive, and that the businesses themselves were assets to the communities they were in.
Justin Miller, one of the co-owners of Black Acre, said the company offered self-imposed commitments that clarified issues concerning hours of operation, and stressed that the Bonna Ave. building would be for production only — there would be no alcohol sales to the public on the premises.
City-County Councilor Ben Hunter also spoke in favor of granting the variance, noting that Black Acre was an asset to the neighborhood, and was part of the revitalization of the Irvington commercial district.
Meg Purnsley, IHPC staff senior architectural review, noted that initially staff was opposed to the variance, but after the commitments, and hearing the overwhelming support from residents, they had changed their mind. She held up a slim file of letters, saying they were from people opposing the variance. Then she held up a very thick file, and said they were letters supporting it. “We received about 100 letters of support — the most we’ve ever received about any variance.” Purnsley said that staff was satisfied that the neighborhood supported the change, despite it going against a neighborhood plan.
The IHPC voted unanimously to approve the Black Acre variance for a five year period.