FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    CR
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1994                                  (202) 616-2765
                                                         TDD (202) 514-1888

        DENVER RESTAURANT AGREES WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO BECOME
                  ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
                                     

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Denver restaurant that was made less
accessible after undergoing renovations has agreed with the Justice
Department to improve access under a settlement approved today by
a federal court.  
     In April, the Justice Department sued Barolo Grill alleging
that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by
performing alterations that made it more difficult for persons with
disabilities to gain access.  Under Title III of the ADA,
alterations performed in buildings used by the public such as
restaurants must meet ADA standards unless it is technically
infeasible to do so.
     The settlement, approved today by the U.S. District Court in
Denver, requires the owner, Lira Limited Liability, to pay $10,000
in civil penalties and $6,000 in damages to four persons with
disabilities who were unable to gain access to portions of the
restaurant.  The owners also will build a ramp to provide access to
a newly-installed raised dining area, add accessible seating,
repair a ramp in the front entrance, widen doorways, and host an
information seminar for other restaurant owners in the state to
learn about the requirements of the law.
     "When small businesses comply with the ADA, they open their
doors to a whole new clientele," said Assistant Attorney General
for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick, "The ADA ensures that the vital
services of small businesses across the country are not denied to
those Americans with disabilities."
     Title III of the ADA requires public accommodations, such as
restaurants, to remove barriers to access where that can be done
without much difficulty or expense.  The law, which has been in
effect since January 1992, also requires such businesses to follow
specific standards when undertaking alterations to their facilities
or when undertaking new construction. 
     The suit was the first to be brought by the Justice Department
under the alteration provisions of Title III.  
                                   # # #
94-650