HopCat, 25 Ionia Ave. SW, in Grand Rapids, is applying to open a new location in the first floor of The Residences, 300 Grove St. Owner and alumnus Mark Sellers hopes to open the restaurant in August.
The East Lansing Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend city council approve a HopCat bar and heard a rezoning request from a real estate developer during its Wednesday evening meeting at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.
East Lansing’s HopCat is proposed to anchor the ground floor of The Residences, an eight-story student housing complex currently under construction in downtown East Lansing.
It will be the second Hopcat location; the original is located in Grand Rapids. HopCat is famous for its large selection of award-winning draft beers.
The new restaurant and bar will have a capacity of 270 persons with seating on the ground floor and mezzanine. A small outdoor patio is included in the designs.
Planning Commissioner Paul Stokstad expressed concern about the growing dominance of liquor-selling establishments in the downtown area.
“In my mind there is little doubt that liquor establishments currently are a dominant influence and feature of the downtown district,” Stokstad said. “Is (HopCat) going to cause that? No. Is (it) going to continue that? I suppose.”
According to Planning Commissioner Stephen Wooden’s calculations, the new establishment represents a two percent increase in the total number of liquor-selling establishments in East Lansing.
Also on the agenda was a public hearing of representatives from Aspen Heights, a real estate developer interested in constructing along Abbot Road.
The developer is planning to create cottage-style residences designed for college students. The committee discussed changing the zoning of the area to accommodate a higher housing density.
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