Hans Bier Haus vs. Robinhood Condos
Hans' Bier Haus fights for its right (and license) to party
Talk about a bar fight.
Judging by the events foreshadowed in day one of court proceedings, there's no love lost between warring Rice Village neighbors Hans' Bier Haus and the Robinhood Condominiums.
Hans' Bier Haus has been around since the mid-1990s, before the condos, but after four years of escalating incidents — lawyers spoke of loud music, of eggs and beer cans thrown on the bar, and water hoses spraying down the patio — violence allegedly erupted during a Christmas party in December 2009, with restraining orders issued for both parties and rival lawsuits scheduled to hit the courts in September.
But in a legal preview, condo owners were front and center in a hearing on Tuesday on whether the bar should be able to renew its liquor license from the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission.
According to Click2Houston:
The residents' attorney told the panel that the bar should not get a license because it regularly violated a city parking code, building code, fire code and the penal code.
"This is a case of a blatant disregard of the rights of the applicant -- Hans Bier House -- as it pertains to its neighbors," said Gary DeSerio, the condo residents' attorney.
The attorney for the bar denied that and said the other side was just trying to get from the TABC what it has not been able to get so far in court.
"They're using this forum to try to obtain a benefit," said Kenneth T. Ward, the bar owners' attorney. "You know it's an end-around . If (condo residents) can prevent their license, which has been in place for 15 years, from being renewed, (the bar) shuts down."
Testimony from bar owners, patrons, condo owners and attorneys lasted all day, with a ruling expected on Thursday.
