SPRINGFIELD – The Board of license Commissioners have approved a new all alcohol license for the new Level Five restaurant at 890 State St. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission in Boston now must approve the application.

The new eatery is a partnership between Rason Jacobs, who has a background in entertainment promotion and Kelly Dobbins who has been a chef for the past 23 years.

Jacobs told the board the new restaurant would have “an elegant, stylish atmosphere for our community.” He added the menu would feature “a variety of culturally affordable dishes” with its signature menu items being soul food.

Jacobs proposed the hours being from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

The venue would feature live entertainment and Jacobs said, “Our goal is to be universal for all.”

Jacobs said the capacity of the seating would be 98 customers at any one time and the business would have about 25 employees.

The Bay Area Neighborhood Council has approved the new venture and a long line of people spoke in support of the new license.

Members of the board expressed concerns about the long hours and board Chair Peter Sygnator suggested altering the closing time to be either 11 p.m. or midnight to start.  The board did change the closing time to 1 a.m. and said it would review that decision at its first meeting in September.

Jacobs told Reminder Publishing he does not have an opening date for the restaurant at this time.