Image courtesy of Beinfeld Architecture

A potential tenant for Spinnaker Real Estate Partners’ big, multi-phase redevelopment of the old New Haven Coliseum site lost their bid to open a high-end liquor store in the development.

Citing the presence of another liquor store, College Wine, nearby, the city Board of Zoning Appeals rejected a variance bid by hopeful store owner Alexis Kang, according to the New Haven Independent.

The news site said board members weren’t swayed by arguments from Kang’s lawyer that the store was just another upscale business like others that have opened in downtown New Haven in recent years. Two years ago, the city lost a lawsuit brought by a liquor store over a permit granted in similar circumstances.

The development is planned to include a lab-office tower and hundreds of apartments split across several phases, the first of which is already underway. It will also host the Elm City Market organic grocery store, which is relocating from a first-floor spot in downtown New Haven’s first luxury residential high-rise.