[I raised the issue of toxic vapors inside the Tied House when the Council considered the redevelopment proposal a couple of years back. It’s a real issue, and it should be addressed. - LS]
Mountain View's longstanding Tied House abruptly closed over the weekend after owner Louis Jemison received "disappointing" news about a lengthy, required closure due to contamination from a past chemical spill.
Jemison said he plans to retire and will not reopen the brewpub, which has operated at 954 Villa St. for three decades.
Decades ago, the building housed a dry cleaning business, which used two potentially dangerous chemical agents, Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), according to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. The building tested positive for the chemicals, which they believed it was limited to one part of the building (the brewery's alleyway) and was not at a level that would be dangerous to the public, Jemison said. An investigation and plans for remediation started in October, with Tied House expected to remain open during the process. But on Friday, it was discovered that two additional areas — where the restaurant’s main sewer line runs — also need to be excavated, Jemison said he was told by his landlord, M & J Land and Equipment Leasing Company. Work had to begin immediately and could take up to nine months to complete.