Board rejects 2 a.m. take-out closing time for Andrew Square pizza place

The Boston Licensing Board this morning rejected a request from Red Line Pizza on Dorchester Avenue in South Boston's Andrew Square to offer take out until 2 a.m., citing complaints from residents and police about its repeated violations of its current 11 p.m. legal closing time.

The board voted to deny the application "with prejudice," which means Red Line will have to wait at least a year to re-apply for a later take-out closing time. Board members said this would give the pizzeria the opportunity to prove it can comply with its current closing time before the board considers later hours - and to install a take-out window so that people could pick up their orders without even going inside.

Red Line, across the street from the Andrew Square T stop, has permission to stay open until 2 a.m. for pick up by delivery drivers. At a hearing yesterday, it said it wants to offer food to people getting off their second-shift jobs and exiting the T stop to pick up something to eat at home.

But officers from District C-6 said the place keeps staying open late for people who are not delivery drivers and that BPD has had to respond there six times this year after 11 p.m. for trouble inside.

Board member Keeana Saxon also urged Red Line to continue working with neighbors on non-hours issues, including trash and the apparent siren call of pizza to vagrants.

In contrast to their opposition to Red Line's request, Andrew Square residents and the local civic association, if not state Sen. Nick Collins, strongly supported a 2 a.m. closing time for a proposed tavern just up the street, saying it would help lead to a revival of the often downtrodden square.