CROWN HEIGHTS — A former Franklin Avenue sports lounge is set to reopen as a new bar, according to a recent liquor license application to the Crown Heights community board.
Free House, to be located at 644 Franklin Ave. between St. Marks Avenue and Bergen Street, will replace what was once B&B Sports Club — a now-closed local hangout for the area’s Panamanian crowd — according to the application to Brooklyn Community Board 8 approved on May 12.
The new 36-seat bar plans to have 10 tables, a full liquor license and a backyard space, the application said.
At a committee meeting to consider the license earlier this month, neighbors of the Franklin Avenue space raised concerns about noise in the backyard, which had previously been an issue when B&B was there, according to comments from residents recorded by the board.
To reduce the bar’s impact on neighbors, the new proprietors said they would add shrubs and umbrellas to the outdoor space and scale back their closing time, the board reported in minutes from the committee meeting. The owners had originally asked CB8 for a 4 a.m. closing time, but will now close at 1 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and at 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, the application said.
It’s unclear when the new bar will open for business. The Free House proprietors could not be reached for comment.
The State Liquor Authority will make a final determination regarding the new bar’s liquor license. B&B's license is set to expire on May 31, according to SLA records.
