In 1999, when Kathy and Ernest Simo purchased the old Mecca Temple No. 10 at 1438 U St. NW, they envisioned creating a high-tech conference center and restaurant with live entertainment called Cada Vez. The couple applied for a “CN”—or nightclub— liquor license from the city because of the dual purpose use they planned for the space, but Shaw residents smelled another club in an area they argue is already oversaturated. So Cada Vez’s neighbors filed a petition to block the establishment’s liquor license with the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board, along with a list of demands necessary to win their support. The Simos made a counteroffer that agreed in the main with local residents’ concerns but differed on hours of operation and parking concerns. The ABC Board is currently evaluating the petition, but the Simos plan to take advantage of a change in licensing laws to apply instead for a more restrictive “CR”—or restaurant—license for Cada Vez. The date of an expected hearing on the mess has yet to be set, and, at present, the space is open only for conferences and meetings. —N’kenge Feagin