San Antonio — SAN ANTONIO – Some local bars are under fire for not meeting a safety law passed seven years ago that requires large bars and clubs to install fire sprinklers.
The 2018 city ordinance brought San Antonio’s entertainment scene up to international fire code standards. It mandates that any venue with a capacity of more than 300 people must have a sprinkler system installed.
“This was really a safety ordinance,” said Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, who represents much of the downtown entertainment district. “The goal is for us not to shut down businesses; it’s to create safety.”
Kaur says businesses were given five years to comply, but COVID-19 slowed down many owners’ efforts.
“During COVID, that caused a huge break,” Kaur said. “At the end of the day, the goal is for us not to shut down businesses — it’s to create safety.”
San Antonio Fire Department Deputy Chief Christopher Monestier said the clubs and bars got extra time as enforcement began late last year.
“We can’t get out of the issue that the life-safety situation is still there,” he said. “They’re not in compliance, and we need to work toward something. That’s why they’re receiving citations. The enforcement efforts are escalating, and we’ve exhausted pretty much everything we could do.”
According to the city’s Fire Marshal, several popular venues must now comply, including The Heat, Bonham, Paper Tiger, Club 727, and I-10 Ice House.
If they don’t, they face fines of up to $2,000 every two weeks.
The owner of I-10 Ice House told FOX SA the bar hired an architect and an engineer to lower occupancy below 299 by adding a firewall. “Plans are at the city and pending approval after the city asked for changes. We stay in touch with fire to know the progress,” the owner said.
Kaur says The Gallery on the St. Mary’s Strip closed its doors in May, while the owner of Southtown Joe’s chose to lower occupancy below 300 to stay open.
One business that was on the list but was able to work with the city is Southtown Joe’s. “The fire department told me any building above a certain occupancy needed a sprinkler system,” said owner Michael Specia. “Ours was rated for 380 people, but that never made sense for our space. I worked with them to lower it to something realistic.”
Specia said he spent two years working to prove his bar’s capacity was below 300, saving his business. Installing a sprinkler system, he said, would have cost between $130,000 and $190,000.
“I don’t own the building, and the owners couldn’t afford it either,” Specia said. “It would’ve put me out of business.”
Councilwoman Kaur says her office is working with clubs to offer extensions if they can show progress. “It’s been really tough for some of the owners,” she said. “If they can show us they have a plan and a timeline, we’ll hold off and give them some grace.”
She added that her office wants to help LGBTQ+ bars, such as Bonham Exchange and The Heat, which serve as “safe spaces for LGBTQ+ community.”
Deputy Chief Monestier said the department’s focus remains on safety. “We’re not in the business of shutting down businesses 100 percent,” he said. “But every business has a duty to keep patrons safe and comply with the city’s adopted fire codes.”
After seven years, the city says it has reached the end of the grace period.
“That’ll be occurring here very, very soon,” Monestier said. “It’s pretty much the last-ditch effort. As far as enforcement goes, we’ve exhausted all options.”
Late Monday, the fire department told FOX San Antonio that Soundcheck is now in the process of installing sprinklers.
We filed numerous open records requests 2 weeks ago. We are still waiting for Municipal Court records, among other documents, to see just how much clubs on this list have been fined.