Tom Blaze, outside his pizzeria at 47-23 Vernon Blvd (File photo)
March 22, 2014 By Christian Murray
Several budding Long Island City restaurant owners failed to show up to a community board hearing Wednesday that dealt with their liquor license applications.
There were five restaurant applications and representatives from just two appeared at the hearing, which was held at the new high school at 1-50 51st Avenue.
Of the three no-shows, two didn’t attend since they decided not to go ahead with their plans. Daniel Shifteh withdrew his plans to open a Mediterranean restaurant at 10-17 Jackson Avenue, while the applicant for a liquor license at 11-18 46th Road no longer plans to open.
But the most notable absence was of Tom Blaze, the owner of a new pizzeria (L’inizio), which is scheduled to open at 47-23 Vernon Boulevard in May.
Blaze seeks a beer and wine license for the establishment, which includes a large rear yard. Many Long Island City residents showed up Wednesday solely to oppose Blaze’s application and his use of garden. His application remains the most controversial and opponents of it have called on public officials to oppose it.
But Blaze said Friday that he did not make the hearing since he nor his attorney were notified.
“I would have loved to have gone and told people what I want to do and how I am proud part of the community,” he said.
Blaze said he wants the use of the yard for children’s events. “The rear yard is large and is ideal for children’s pizza parties,” Blaze said. “This is what attracted me to opening the pizzeria.”
The use of rear gardens by restaurants has become a contentious issue along Vernon Boulevard in recent years—as neighboring residents have complained about noise. The community board has been able to sway several restaurants to keep their rear yards shut, by pledging not to oppose the issuance of their liquor license if they oblige.
Blaze said that he doesn’t want to create problems. “I just want to open a nice place for the community.”
However, his application has stirred up many in the neighborhood.
Even Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan has stepped into the fray. David Aglialoro, a representative of her office, read a letter at the community board hearing that Nolan had written to the State Liquor Authority in opposition to it.
“I am concerned about this development since there are many residential areas around this restaurant,” Aglialoro said, as he was reading Nolan’s letter. “The approval of this application would break the precedent and could lead to many other establishments along Vernon Blvd to reapply and change their status,” Nolan’s representative said.
Beth Garrett, who was in attendance with her husband William Garrett, told the board that she had a petition with more than 200 names on it opposed to the use of the backyard space. Several others members complained that the noise would carry down the street.
While the board did not render a decision on the matter Wednesday, the prospects that Blaze will be able to get a liquor license and get to use his backyard at the same time seemed dim.
The board pointed out inconsistencies in what Blaze had said in a past meeting with paper work he filed with the SLA.
However, Blaze said Friday that there must have been some sort of miscommunication.
But two owners did show up on Wednesday.
Heidy Smookler, who co-owns Mu Ramen with her husband, outlined her plans for the opening of the popular Japanese eatery at 12-09 Jackson Avenue—where Malu, the ice cream shop was located.
She told the board that the restaurant would consist of 22 seats—16 seats would be part of a large communal table, while the remaining 6 seats would be located next to the chef.
Smookler is applying for a full liquor license. She said she plans to sell wine, beer and Sake. She requested for her hours to be from noon to 4 am.
Pat O’Brien, who oversees liquor licenses on behalf of Community Board 2, was concerned about the 4 am closing and said he would speak to Smookler about it further. The next meeting on the matter is on April 9 in Woodside.
Meanwhile the owner of Beans, Grapes and Leaves—which will be located at 50-01 2nd Street– was there as part of his application for a wine and beer license.
This was the first time the board had any dealing with the establishment so it was merely an introduction to the operation.
The owner plans on opening a space comprised of 26 seats.
He said that he primarily aims to offer coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads wine and beer. The establishment will not have a kitchen.
However, he wants to be able to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and be open until 11 pm during the week and until 1 am on weekends.
There did not appear to be any objections from the board. However, the board will be meeting with the owner at its next meeting April 9
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19 Comments
This Blaze guy is full of @@@@, he is not to be trusted.
What a bunch of dillweeds!
Yup, guess it hasn’t been updated. I walked past it last week and they are definitely gone. I actually heard someone playing drums inside. A friend who lives across the street from there said they left because of the increase wanted by the landlord for rent.
So I guess the map on their website is inaccurate, ha ha.
AA wholesale is gone. Apparently the landlord doubled their rent. I’m not sure where they moved to.
AA Wholesale, 21-41 45th Rd., has a few key blanks, and lots of hardware.
Unifying the restaurant proprietors is the key to getting back the back yards.
Dear LIC Gal, my dream is to open a hardware store (much needed) in our neighborhood, complete with locksmith and design consultant!
There’s no CB2 input required in some of these cases. Just look at this law for any of the establishments who want a liquor license.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb3/downloads/cb3docs/sla-200-500ft-rule.pdf
Where were the supporters of the restaurants who applied for liquor licenses? We’ve got to drown out these lunatics.
LIC Res,
That’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think too enforceable.
Everyone has a problem with Nolan and JVB yet when election time rolls around they vote for them. Next law no walking on Vernon after 10 pm, because its too much noise.ESPECIALLY outside some douchebags house.
Surely there are more options than just yes/no alcohol license. What about a per customer drink limit, varying by weekday or time? Or a probationary period requiring a drink limit is until the operators have demonstrated they can control crowd noise?
Mu Ramen just topped the NYTimes’s Best NYC Ramen list after operating less than a year, without even a permanent location. These are dedicated people doing great work. It would be a shame to discourage talented folks from setting up shop in LIC.
That Blaze guy is a real estate agent who lives in the neighborhood. He’s on my block, so hopefully he’s not full of crap since he lives here. Annnd retail? Can we please get a hardware store?
The residents of our neighborhood need to mind their own business. Someone else’s backyard is not your business just because you live down the street. You live on the main thoroughfare in a NYC nabe. What do you expect??? Garrett and his wife already put a business out of business because it was too loud. This is a pizzeria that will have some noise for a few months out of the year. Give it up
I’m so done with William Garrett, his cronies and Nolan and Van Bramer who are in his pocket. If you want people to live in LIC you need to have places for people to enjoy themselves. Don’t live in a commercial area if you don’t want noise. It’s NYC, it’s noisy, deal with it. These opposers need to get a life.
Just what we need another place over run with noisy children and parents that don’t care. Hope this place never opens.
Not against any restaurants but we need retails please!!!!
Permission to speak?
Do we get to have summer around here?
Are shape-shifters are running everything now?
Do I still even like this neighborhood?
These and other questions…