City Council approves new bar plans

Students are one step closer to frequenting the building that once held Santa Fe Café, now that the College Park City Council has given its stamp of approval on a potential new bar, Terrapin Turf.

Mohammad Afshar appeared before the council last night along with his two daughters, Salomeh and Yasmine — who are co-owning the bar with him -—to discuss the terms of the property use agreement. Now that the council has OK'd his business plan — which includes a 50/50 food to alcohol ratio, a $2 minimum for alcoholic beverages and a $9 minimum for beer pitchers and a security system to keep out underage drinkers — Afshar just has to obtain a liquor license from the Prince George's County Board of License Commissioners on Feb. 28 to start renovating the building students once flocked to.

The dilapidated building has sat vacant for nearly two years, but Afshar said he has extensive renovation plans for the property, including a nearly $50,000 sprinkler system. The space would function as a restaurant during the day and transition into a bar at night, Afshar said. A full menu has not been hammered out yet. Terrapin Turf would also be equipped with a projector screen to display university football and basketball games, and will also feature "All-star Buffets" on game days that would offer traditional American cuisine.

The building has a contentious history with the council, after former owner Mark Srour refused to install a $90,000 sprinkler system at the request of council members. But members said last night they were pleased with Afshar's plans to revamp the space.

"I'm excited," said District 3 Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich. "It seems like a responsible plan, and I certainly would like to see that space used in a good way."

The Afshars' attorney, Abigale Bruce-Watson, cited one concern with the current agreement last night. The agreement requires the business to integrate photo-identification software — a system also in place at recently opened Looney's Pub that requires employees to take a picture of patrons' IDs and keep them on file — a "liability" for the bar if that ID information was somehow stolen.

"What a … loss of public confidence someone may have if they come to our establishment and their identity gets stolen," Bruce-Watson said.

But District 4 Councilman Marcus Afzali said the same mandate hasn't been an issue at Looney's.

"Looney's has it and it hasn't affected their reputation," Afzali said last night. "Looney's has not been hurt by having such a [system]."

Afshar and his family recently owned a live-music bar, Saloun, in Georgetown, that closed in October. It featured live music seven days a week and catered to the Georgetown college scene. While the family said they will wait to see how College Park responds to the bar before booking bands every night, they hope to revive the jazz and blues music scene that "was everywhere 30 years ago."

"That's what we've known, that's what we've grown up with and that's what we want to bring to this area," Salomeh said, adding that bringing this sound to College Park would be a seamless transition. "What's the difference between Georgetown or GW students and Maryland students?"

Upon hearing specific plans for the new space, several students said the new bar would fit well into the College Park nightlife scene, which has seen the addition of two new bars in the last year.

"I think that's exactly the kind of place we need in this town," said junior English and government and politics major Mace Phillips. "This is something that's different, fun. … That's probably the best bar move we could make."

Sophomore family sciences major Bryna Ambrose said she hopes the bar will give her a taste of Santa Fe Café, which she said upperclassmen often raved about.

"Santa Fe closed before I came here," Ambrose said. "Upperclassmen were always talking about how fun it was, so I'm excited."

foley@umdbk.com