A COVID-era concept was laid to rest in Carbondale last week as the PK’s alleyway beer garden was dismantled to make way for through traffic down the side street along the bar’s south side. 

Prompted by a parking expansion project from the bar’s neighbor, Home2 Suites by Hilton, the removal of the beer garden was not received well by many in the Carbondale community, who voiced their opinions through comments on Facebook, comments at the Aug. 26 City Council meeting and at a vigil held outside the bar on Aug. 27. 

While both PK’s owner Walter Witkewiz and city officials acknowledge the validity of the community’s concerns, both said that much of the public’s response has been fueled by a misunderstanding of the situation.

The city and the bar’s management collectively closed off the alleyway to through traffic in 2020 so that the bar could comply with statewide COVID precautions that prompted businesses to create outdoor spaces so that they met certain social distancing requirements.

What was supposed to be a temporary solution to combat the spread of COVID blossomed into a beloved beer garden that served as a secondary space for PK’s patrons and even as an alternate stage for the occasional outdoor concert. 

The community grew attached to the space, and when Witkewiz removed it on Aug. 24, questions began to arise as to why. 

“These discussions have been going on a couple times a year since we first started using the alley,” Witkewiz told the Daily Egyptian. “Decisions started getting made when construction of the new parking lot started. I was told that the alley would be needed for through traffic once the parking lot was finished, and that I would need to move everything before they started digging up the alley for the water drainage system. 

“They broke ground on that project last week,” Witkewiz said. “I saw sewer material at the job site, but I was never given a time frame on when that would start. So I said I’d have it all out on Sunday (Aug. 24) to avoid a situation where I would be unavailable to move it. Perhaps that was a hasty decision on my end.” 

During the Aug. 26 City Council meeting, Witkewiz did his best to dispel some of the misinformation during public comments by sharing with the community that it was indeed his decision to take down the beer garden at that time. He also addressed the claim that there may have been anything more than a verbal agreement between the city and the bar regarding the alley.

“We chose to remove the beer garden now to avoid any situation where we would not have the manpower or ability to move it quickly if needed,” Witkewiz said. “The alley is city property, and there has never been a formal written agreement in place for its use. We appreciate the city for the opportunity to utilize the space in the manner and duration that we have.”

Witkewiz’s speech was posted on PK’s Facebook page that evening and has since garnered over 1,000 likes. 

After public comments at the meeting, City Manager Stan Reno also told the crowd of passionate PK’s patrons that it was Witkewiz himself who had decided to dismantle the beer garden that Sunday. 

“This was his choice,” Reno said. “The city did not make requirements, set a deadline, nor did we indicate that there was any immediate urgency to remove the beer garden.”

Although the city had yet to officially require the bar to remove the beer garden, it certainly would have at some point — Witkewiz had just gotten out ahead of them to try and avoid any trouble and because he was never given any formal instructions. 

When asked what entity would’ve been the one to eventually put their foot down and make him remove it had he not, Witkewiz said that technically, it could have still been in place until they needed to start digging it all up. 

“If there was a foot to come down, I guess it would’ve been IDOT — from what I was told by the city,” Witkewiz said.

The city claims that the reason the alley needs to be available for through traffic is due to requirements from the Illinois Department of Transportation. 

“As businesses returned to normal operations, the need to reopen the alley for shared use became important,” reads a post from the city’s official Facebook page. “Other downtown businesses historically relied on this alley for access, and with the Hilton Hotel’s new development, the Illinois Department of Transportation requires the alley to function as a traffic route for guest parking and vehicle flow.”

At the City Council meeting, Councilman Adam Loos echoed a similar sentiment, who, alongside Reno and Witkewiz, tried his best to clear up some of the confusion. 

“The city is not providing any parking to that hotel — the hotel has bought some properties and is building parking on them,” Loos said. “The (current) parking can’t be accessed from Walnut Street — that’s not the city’s decision — IDOT controls Walnut Street. IDOT has said no. They won’t allow curb cuts. It’s not up to us. We would probably allow it.” 

The new hotel parking lot, which will be supplemental to the current lot, will go up at 209 and 211 W. Walnut St. The hotel owner, Pradeep Reddy, purchased those properties, which were unused houses, and has recently torn them down as they begin construction. 

Although the current Hilton parking lot is not directly accessible via Walnut Street, IDOT officials say that there is existing access to Walnut Street via the alleyway — it exits just to the west of the Law Office of Christian Baril and to the east of PK’s — which will be adjacent to the new lot once it’s finished. 

IDOT officials have also clarified to the DE that it is up to the city as to what happens with the alleyway. 

“U.S. 51 (Illinois Avenue) and Illinois 13 (Walnut Street) are IDOT jurisdiction,” an IDOT representative told the DE. “Alleys are the City of Carbondale’s jurisdiction. Carbondale is responsible for maintenance up to the edge of the pavement on Illinois 13 and U.S. 51. Alley function is determined by the City of Carbondale.” 

IDOT officials said that all entrances must follow all IDOT standards and policies that can be found on the IDOT website, and that a permit would be required to add or alter access to an IDOT road — Illinois 13 and U.S. 51.  

“No permit has been requested to change the existing access onto Illinois 13 or U.S. 51,” IDOT said. “Currently — there is existing access. The alley is the City of Carbondale’s jurisdiction, and they determine the function of the alley.”

Safety concerns 

The contentious nature of this situation has much to do with the overall popularity of that block of businesses. A Friday night in Carbondale will see a slew of car, foot, bike and scooter traffic on either side of the alleyway, with bar-hoppers walking up and down the Strip by the west entrance and college students walking to and from frats to its east. 

With cars now being allowed to enter and exit that alley and onto U.S. 51 — IIllinois Avenue — many concerns from the public had to do with what they fear could be an increase in traffic crashes. 

“The people who are in that alley now are going to be there regardless — it’s going to be dangerous with through traffic,” said community member Cassandra Coffey during the City Council meeting. “Drunk people will be the ones using that alley and it could create some dangerous situations.” 

Witkewiz said that he’s far less concerned about people in the alley than he is with people walking, biking or scootering down the sidewalk while cars are pulling out.

“I’ve suggested maybe putting mirrors on the building for vehicles so that they can see people on the sidewalk — but that’d only help if people actually used them. I’m also not certain that the angles would work. Perhaps mirrors on the light pole across the sidewalk would help.

“I’m still working with the city regarding all of this,” Witkewiz said. “Maybe it’s not the end of the alley beer garden. These things take time and planning. We’ll all have to be patient and see how things play out.”

A solution?

Community members were quick to offer up their own solutions to combat this issue, and many are hoping that there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

While PK’s has never had its own official agreement with the city concerning alleyway usage, public city documents reveal that multiple other businesses along the Strip have utilized encroachment permits — such as Hangar 9 for its very own beer garden. 

“We have talked about an encroachment permit and lease before, but never this in-depth and detailed until this past week,” Witkewiz said. “I figured it wouldn’t be feasible for me to buy the alley due to a lack of information about what would be needed and expected of me to make it usable in a more permanent manner, like ADA and other code compliance and all of that. I’ve had no idea what that project would look like or what it would even cost. 

“I’m learning more about what all of that looks like currently and am working with the city to try and figure these things out,” Witkewiz continued. “I should have been more assertive in past conversations, but I am new to all of this and certainly a bit out of my element.”

While Witkewiz isn’t holding his breath waiting for something magical to happen that brings the beer garden back, he greatly appreciates the public support he’s received in its absence. 

“I am shocked and humbled by the response,” Witkewiz said. “I may own PK’s but the bar is 70 years old. It has a community and life of its own. I strive to improve the place without changing it. In all honesty Gwen was queen, I feel like nothing more than its steward.”

Gwen Hunt was the longtime owner of PK’s, who opened the establishment in 1955 as a pizza restaurant and ran the bar until her death in 2018.

PK’s will celebrate its 70th anniversary on Sept. 5 and 6 and will feature $1 PBR specials, giveaways and live music throughout two nights, capped off by a performance from notorious Carbondale band The Copyrights.

Advertisement