Neighbors concerned about alcohol sales in downtown Irving

On Wednesday, neighbors raised concerns about a planned Thursday Irving City Council vote to expand alcohol sales in the Old Downtown Irving area.

This change will allow up to 70% of sales in downtown restaurants to be alcohol. Restaurants are now required to sell more food than alcohol.

Old Downtown Irving is a historic district with a lot of parkland and character that some other areas of North Texas don’t have, but the famous Big State Soda Fountain recently closed.

The area has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer said the rezoning to increase alcohol sales could be a step forward and help improve Old Irving’s downtown.

“People wanted to see more restaurants and more activity in the area,” Stopfer said. “I think alcohol helps the restaurant supplier match their numbers.”

A group called the Irving Hispanic Forum gathered Wednesday morning at the Rancho restaurant on Irving Boulevard. He sells alcohol under stricter rules.

The deputies said that citizens are not aware of the planned changes.

“We’d rather have a little more time for the general public, for the ordinary citizens of Irving, for everyone, to find out exactly what’s going on,” forum leader David Gutierrez said.

Irving activist Anthony Bond, who attended the forum meeting, said the change could pave the way for many more bars.

“That’s what worries and worries us the most, is the corridor of bars leading to our city hall,” he said.

Members are also concerned that taxes for existing residents could rise sharply as a result of new construction.

“Maybe you’re pushing them out because as taxes go up, their taxes will go up and they’ll be like, ‘Look, we can’t afford this,'” Gutierrez said.

The ongoing redevelopment of Irving Boulevard is also a hurdle for business. Once the road work is completed, Irving Boulevard in central North Texas will become a more attractive destination.

New townhouses are already being built on the street, and other new residential developments are also planned.

Mayor Stofer said more restaurants could follow, but he said Irving didn’t need a bar corridor.

“We don’t want the city to be like this. We want to have good restaurants, but we want them to be compatible with the area and not just something that takes off,” he said.

Stopfer said some people speculate that downtown Irving might be similar to downtown Grapevine, with many restaurants and shops.

Downtown Irving has a Trinity Rail Express station that connects to both downtown Dallas and Fort Worth.

This could be the place for transit-oriented development that other cities have seen.

Stopfer said the business center in downtown Irving is only two blocks long, much smaller than the Grapevine, but could still be improved without harming existing neighbors.

“We don’t want to change the face of downtown Irving. We want it to be downtown Irving, with trees and houses and stuff like that, but we also want business here,” Stopfer said.

The development of the Toyota Music Factory in Las Colinas is another area in Irving where restaurants are allowed to sell 70% alcohol.

The new proposal will also add the site of the former Texas Stadium to expand alcohol sales for future development.

In the past, Irving had some of the strictest alcohol regulations in North Texas. Once upon a time, residents had to travel to neighboring settlements to buy beer or wine in stores. The ban on mixed drinks in Irving’s restaurants was lifted in 1981.