Neighbors Voice Concerns Over Downtown Irving Alcohol Sales

Neighbors voiced concerns Wednesday over an Irving City Council vote planned Thursday to expand alcohol sales in the Old Downtown Irving area.

The change would 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 large park and character some other North Texas neighborhoods lack but the iconic Big State Soda Fountain recently closed.

The area struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer said the zoning change to increase alcohol sales could be a step for the better, to help improve Old Downtown Irving.

“People wanted to see more restaurants and more activity in this area,” Stopfer said. “I think alcohol helps the provider of the restaurant to be able to meet their numbers.”

A group called Irving Hispanic Forum met Wednesday morning at Rancho Restaurant on Irving Boulevard. It sells alcohol under the more restricted rules.

Members said citizens are unaware of the planned change.

“We would prefer to have a little bit more time, for the general public, for the general citizens of Irving, all of them, to find out exactly what is going on,” forum leader David Gutierrez said.

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

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

Members also worried that taxes could soar for existing residents as a result of new development.

“You might be squeezing them out because as taxes go up, their taxes are going to go up, and they’re going to say ‘Look we can’t afford this,’” Gutierrez said.

Reconstruction of Irving Boulevard that’s underway is also a roadblock for businesses. Once the road work is through, Irving Boulevard, in the center of North Texas, will be a more desirable location.

New townhomes are already going up on the street and other new residential development is planned.

Mayor Stopher said new restaurants could follow, but he said Irving does not want a corridor of bars.

“That’s not what we want the city to be. We want to have fine restaurants, but we want it to be compatible with the area, not just something that takes off,” he said.

Stopfer said some people suggest downtown Irving could be like downtown Grapevine with many restaurants and stores.

There is a Trinity Rail Express station in downtown Irving that connects to both downtown Dallas and Fort Worth.

It could be a location for transit-oriented development other cities have seen.

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

“We don’t want to change the complexion of downtown Irving. We want it to still be the downtown Irving, with the trees, the homes, things of that nature, but we also want to encourage businesses to be here,” Stopfer said.

The Toyota Music Factory development in Las Colinas is another Irving area where 70% alcohol sales are allowed at restaurants.

The new proposal would also add the former Texas Stadium site for expanded alcohol sales for future development there.

In the past, Irving had some of the tightest alcohol rules in North Texas. Residents once had to drive to neighboring communities to purchase beer or wine in stores. A ban on mixed drinks in Irving restaurants was lifted in 1981.