蜜芽传媒

Lead contamination closed Brew Tulum in September and the owners say they are doubtful they can reopen at their Central West End location after disagreements over cleaning with their landlord, Third Degree Glass Factory co-founder Doug Auer.

The caf茅 sits along Delmar Boulevard in the Delmar Maker District, an effort by Auer and his business partner, Square co-founder Jim McKelvey, to bring life back into the neighborhood with retail and food options and social spaces.

鈥淚 have no worries or concerns whatsoever,鈥� Ben Poremba said, of moving his restaurants to the district. 鈥淚f there is any evidence [of lead] in my buildings I鈥檓 sure they鈥檒l take proper action to remediate.鈥�

Four of Poremba鈥檚 eateries, Nixta, Elaia, Olio and a fourth unnamed spot, are all set to open next year. 鈥淚鈥檓 in contact with them every week. We鈥檝e had no conversations about the lead,鈥� he said.

The Delmar Maker District is home to Third Degree, MADE Makerspace, Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design, and The Magic House at MADE. Also in the works for the area is 5095 Delmar Boulevard, a new restaurant space with two residential units upstairs and SMOOTH House, a Smart Home for Occupational Therapy Healing headed by a team out of Washington University.

Laura McNamara and Alberto 鈥淎J鈥� Juarez opened Brew Tulum a year ago at 5090 Delmar Boulevard. The business has been lauded by local food critics but closed in late September after the couple learned of high levels of lead in the blood of their 1 1鈦�2-year-old son, following a routine test this summer.

McNamara said subsequent building inspections found lead dust on the walls, the floor and inside the HVAC system.

Since then, McNamara and Juarez have been at odds with Auer. A statement from a spokesperson for the building owner says the building is in compliance with regulations governing lead and a hired risk assessor found no hazards there.

McNamara said they鈥檝e asked for Auer to have the space properly remediated, which she said environmental experts told her includes wet-wiping all surfaces followed by HEPA vacuuming, wet-wiping everything again and then sealing the walls and floors with paint to trap grout dust. The couple would also like to see the HVAC system specially cleaned or replaced, rent relief and business reparations.

McNamara said Auer and his team have only presented partial solutions for their Brew Tulum space. She said he has offered to do only one step of the recommendations defined by an environmental expert or only clean part of the restaurant.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e offered piecemeal at best,鈥� McNamara said. 鈥淗e never agreed to clean the entire space. I don鈥檛 know why. I鈥檓 baffled.鈥�

Traci Dale Pupillo, a Capes Sokol attorney who said she represented the building owner, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Brew Tulum shares the 1919 building with Craft Alliance, a community making space. Craft Alliance executive director Bryan Knicely said their side has tested negative for lead. He said their landlord, Auer, notified them of the levels at Brew Tulum about two months ago.

Danni Eickenhorst, co-owner of Steve鈥檚 Hot Dogs and owner of The Fountain Off Locust, who plans to open both spots in the district in a few months, said she reached out to Auer immediately after learning about Brew Tulum鈥檚 lead contamination. She said he assured her that 鈥渢his is a non-issue.鈥�

鈥淥ur projects are protected and safe,鈥� Eickenhorst said. 鈥淗e said there is no lead being used on-site and he said whatever this is does not apply to our projects and we will not be impacted. We鈥檙e still on track to open in March.鈥�

Similarly, Derrick Langeneckert, head brewer and founder of Alpha Brewing Company, said he鈥檚 unconcerned about lead in the distillery planned for Delmar Boulevard. 鈥淲e鈥檙e doing a total gut remodel of the building,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not particularly concerned. We鈥檙e excited about opening.鈥�