Fig & Olive, the new Mediterranean resto (which serves over 30 olive oils – holy olive oil batman!) at 420 West 13th street, b/w Wash & 9th, is requesting permission for a sidewalk cafe to consist of 17 tables and 34 seats. That’s a lot of tables!

CB2 Business Meeting, Liquor License: Tues., 4/10 @ 6:30 PM- Tony Dapolito Recreation Center, 3 Clarkson St. 3^rd Floor

AM Operating Group, an aptly named new group formed by folks that own PM, is applying for a license at 55 Gansevoort (formerly Sascha Restaurant) as part of their grand scheme to open a 24-hour joint across the street from their successful club. Community Outrage Begins.

Case-in-point: In May of ’05, almost exactly two years ago, the emails were flying to rally folk to attend a CB2 meeting to testify against PM Lounge so that they would be denied a sidewalk cafe application.

Now, emails are flying to rally folk to attend a CB2 meeting to testify against PM Lounge so that they will be denied a liquor license application in a new space across the street. Really, I could just re-post the old blog post, and replace SIDEWALK with LIQUOR and Monday, May 9 with Tuesday April 10. (you can get a history of some of this blog’s posts about PM Lounge by clicking “PM Lounge” in the ‘tags’ listed at the bottom of this post – nifty, huh?)

In all seriousness, however, this is a bit different. This time, PM Lounge (as part of a group called AM Operation Group, LLC – oh the witty wordsmiths) is applying for a liquor license at the space across the street, occuped by SASHA (53 Gansevoort Street) … Revoking a liquor license, well, that’s almost impossible but if you are one of the many who calls 311 repeatedly about noise levels at PM Lounge, here’s an even better place to make yourself heard. Bring your log of complaints to 311, your letters to local politicians, your letters to management, bring it all, and get a chance to testify.

The application is to be reviewed by CB 2 Business committee at a hearing Tuesday evening April 10 at 6:30 at Tony D’Apolito Recreation Center ..3 Clarkson St. THIRD FLOOR (It’s near Carmine and Seventh Ave South).

As an interesting comparison, it’s much easier to report on the Hotel G’s various (truly creative) skirmishes with the nieghborhood. First there was the contention that the site of the hotel was the original site for the water tunnel construction, which instead took over Seravalli playground; then there was the (no adjective necessary) design of the hotel; then the noise problems, first with music blaring from the roof; then the whirring sound of an airplane engine emanating from the hotel restaurant ventilation system. And now, of course, now we have their illegal, horrid billboard. I really wonder what’s next for them. Nothing horrid has appeared on the sidewalks out front. Perhaps they’ll accidentally defile the sidewalk next?

Via Bruce Solomon:

Many of us living on the northern side of Horatio St. adjacent to the Meatpacking district would have been disturbed by the loud dance music coming from the building at 60 Gansevoort St. last April 19. This event did not end until nearly 2 in the morning. When I went there to complain, about midnight, I was amazed to see hundreds of people dancing or waiting to enter what is normally a disused building.

I wanted to know how hundreds of people would have known of this event at a building that is vacant most of the time. By Googling “60 Gansevoort St.” on the internet, I found the web site of the organizers of the event. They advertised in a large poster-like web page that read,

“Wednesday,April 19, 2006; 60 Gansevoort Street, OPEN BAR ALL NIGHT LONG; Doors at 9:00pm. 21+, $15 Donation Req.”

They listed a number of bands to provide live music, and said the presenter is Vacancy Records, Brion Isaacs and Franco V. They also said in another part of their site that they have finally found a place for April 19, after being kicked out of one place by the fire department, and another by the police. No mention of why, or whether they’ll return. You can access them at www.shindignyc.com.

A more useful web site lists all open bars for the week, including the one at 60 Gansevoort during the week it happened. This web site is: www.myopenbar.com. This is the site that would be most useful to monitor from week to week, as we could then know when an event will take place at 60 Gansevoort BEFORE it happens, and alert the police accordingly. The organizers themselves are advertising sale of drinks, though under cover of demanding a donation and then providing drinks, as well as dancing to live music. The use of “open bars” appears to be a means of avoiding the need for liquor and cabaret licenses, and thus “open bars” are popular with underground party organizers. Interestingly, there is a complaint from one dissatisfied customer who thought the $15 was too much for what was offered.

We may feel awkward about bookmarking websites for open bars and clubs, but we need to do what we can to end the activities they advertise when they affect our peace and well-being, not to mention sleep.
Bruce Solomon
77 Horatio St.

Anyone know the scoop?

Some of us who went to an SLA meeting last month regarding 26 Little West 12th and opposing it( same owners as One 9th) are awaiting news as to how the SLA has decided.. 26 LIttle West 12th is the garage on Little w 12…several floors of a club and across from the very large Bhudda Bar.. we’ll hope and see..

But the surprisingly important information to come out of the meeting was his description of the disciplinary powers of the SLA which include prosecuting establishments with violations to ABC laws, non-compliance with local fire/health/safety laws, 106A violations (reports filed by police dept. on disorderly conduct, serving to minors, noise complaints, etc… – these are the follow-ups to 311 calls), and non-compliance with the ‘methods of operation’ set forth in the original application.

Why do I think the method of operation (hereinafter referred to – for my amusement – as MOP) is important? Because the factors laid out in the MOP (hours of operation, food service, (music?)) are factors that have a huge influence on the quality of life effect of an establishment. And because the license, once granted, is contingent upon MOP being followed. Changing these factors mid-stream is a prosecutable offense by the SLA.

So, as I see it, a community board may give or deny their recommendation to approve a license based on the ‘methods of operation’. It can become a bartering tool for a community board that wants to ensure that establishments that receive applications are held to reasonable strictures that allow for the least friction possible between the residents and the establishments. A community board may suggest certain changes to a MOP before granting approval. And a community board may withhold approval and point out specific areas of concern in the MOP.

And a bar that is behaving irresponsibly? Chances are they may no longer be following the blueprints they laid out in the MOP, and that is a prosecutable offense.

It’s our secret weapon, and I like calling it MOP. MOP! MOP! (I’m picturing Road Runner).

(For a simple explanation of the 500ft. rule – click here.)

Here’s what happens at a 500ft. hearing (which is more of a read-aloud report than a meeting).
1. The application is read.
2. The applicant’s statement to support that the establishment will serve the public good is read.
3. Each side may make a presentation regarding the proposed establishment (there is no cross examination to these presentations).

A successful presentation by a community group wishing to challenge a license will:
- use clearly drawn maps to prove close proximity of new applicant to existing businesses and to schools, senior homes, and apartment buildings to show that it is a mixed use area that includes high-density residences.
- Present testimony from residents about quality of life issues like traffic problems, noise problems, etc…
- Use specific examples from the application to prove that it will not be in the best interest of the community. The ‘Methods of Operation’ section includes helpful information on how the establishment will conduct itself.
- If owners have other establishments that have been poor neighbors, a pattern of irresponsibility may be created

Because there is no cross-examination of the presentations, it is EXTREMELY important to be familiar with the application and to have already prepared the arguments that relate specifically to the application. However, it should be noted that, especially in commercial areas, community quality of life complaints tend to carry less weight than economic factors in terms of deciding what is ‘in the public interest’… What a nicely ambiguous phrase ‘in the public interest’….

dotting the i’s:

I delivered additional testimony to the SLA today [regarding the 26LW12 application - see 500' post for details] (with receipt) and left copies at ONE. The final package included: my letter, Mike’s e-mail, SLA decision re Hotel Gansevoort, illegal parking log as well as comments reprinted from HSA blog.

Now we wait.

Did anyone go to the 14th St/Gansevoort Market CB2 meeting tonight? I couldn’t make it but wonder what happened.

LWT presented a petition signed by 400+ people, declaring that 26 would be in the public interest. They said they would contribute to the neighborhood. They presented letters from charities that had hosted fundraisers at ONE. They noted that CB#2 had approved the application.

Then the real business started, as Ivy and Mike spoke eloquently about the saturation of the neighborhood, the overissuance of licenses, the problems that come along – traffic, garbage, noise, ill-behaved patrons spilling into the street and Gansevoort Plaza.

We are enormously grateful to Keith McNally, Pastis, who spoke passionately about his desire to be part of a vibrant community, not one where drinkers run wild. And also to Gregory Brender from Deborah Glick’s office who presented testimony from Deborah opposing the license as well as a letter signed by Tom Duane, Christine Quinn and Deborah Glick.

It’s an odd and exotic process and it will be weeks before we know what the outcome of this is.

If you want to submit additional testimony, it must be received by 3 PM June 7.
Sent or delivered to SLA, HEARING DEPARTMENT, 317 Lenox Avenue, 10027 Attn: Akiva Tessler, Adminstrative Judge.

Personally I think we need to go to any meeting that impacts us, whether we have a gripe or not. And we have to continue to let everyone know that we care and are willing to act.

Fret Not! The little man can still persevere. Compose a letter, click comments at the bottom of this post, type it into the empty boxes, press PUBLISH and it will appear in the comments section of this website!! Or, email it to Elaine Young. All letters posted or emailed will be printed and brought to the SLA hearing. In your letter, you need to argue that this club would NOT be in the public interest. You may want to note that there are many more than three bars within 500 feet of 26 Little West 12 (Buddha Bar, Cielo, Pastis, Paradour, 5, One, Nero, Macelleria, PM) and that the area has become dense with drunks, traffic is insane and we are seeing the decline of a great neighborhood. Quality of life has been adversely impacted.. in a short period of time.
More info on the 500 ft. rule, the application and the meeting.