Field Day Brewing Company, a 20,910-square-foot micro-brewery, restaurant and entertainment facility expected to open its doors in 2023, was unanimously approved by the North Liberty City Council on Jan. 25.
Partnering with the original developers of the Liberty Centre, the new nightlife destination will sit behind Speedy Mike’s Car Wash and near the Liberty Centre Pond.
Discussion surrounding the project Tuesday night largely centered around how the project would impact residential homes in the area.
The council asked if there would be noise complaints when there is live music playing, similar to complaints Tin Roost has received in the past, but North Liberty Planning Director Ryan Rusnak does anticipate this to be a major problem.
“The way the building is oriented, the outdoor space goes toward the northeast,” he said. So any kind of outdoor event I think is moving away from the direction of the building and not toward the residences.” At this time, most live events are also expected to take place indoors, the project’s engineering manager added during the meeting.
“So I did reach out to the property owner, and they felt that any smell emitted would be very low,” said Ryan Rusnak, planning director for North Liberty, during the meeting. “Typically, the brewing process will be all enclosed.”
An overhead door will face toward the west and not toward residential living, and there is a “fair amount” of distance to that property, as well as a row of garages, refuse areas and soon-to-be-implemented landscape buffering that will “act as a screen” for any noise that escapes or smells that are emitted, he added.
Brandon Pratt, the owner of Lions Development Group and co-owner of Tin Roost, views the brewery as a premier nightlife destination and sees the project as an opportunity to “not only bring eyeballs to the City of North Liberty, but keep them there.”
Now that the public process is completed, the Field Day Brewing Company team will turn its focus toward ensuring the Building Department approves building plans to grant a construction permit. They will also look to secure permits during the construction process, Mr. Pratt said in an email to the CBJ.
The city council unanimously approved a new, 2,200-square foot Taco Bell location at 1000 Liberty Way on Tuesday as well.
According to GLMV Architecture Civil Engineer Angie Morgan, about 60% to 70% of the revenue is expected to come from drive-through business.
