San Francisco's only rooftop bar could be shutting down because of technicalities.
Medjool Restaurant and Lounge is popular with Mayor Gavin Newsom and other political types but city planning officials said the bar is in violation of multiple city codes and therefore should be closed, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Restaurants and balls are not allowed in the Mission above the second floor of a building, according to the city. Medjool is located on the fifth floor of a building at 2524 Mission St., between 21st and 22nd streets.
Owner Gus Murad is a developer and a friend of Newsom. The mayor was accused last week of trying to help Murad get a chance to build a near by condo project that is taller than Medjool, the Chronicle reported.
"The Medjool's rooftop bar does have both planning code and building code issues," city Zoning Administrator Larry Badiner told the Chronicle.
Murad's lawyer, Andrew Junius, told the Chronicle that city officials approved both building and planning permits for the rooftop bar during its construction.
"When the (Medjool) project was built, the building and planning permits were authorized and signed by the city," Junius told the paper.
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Murad has donated money to Newsom's campaigns on more than one occasion, which is charging the allegations that he got preferential treatment to get approval for his bar.
For more on this story check out the SF Gate story or the SF Weekly story.
