March 19, 2014 By Christian Murray
Several restaurants are likely to open in Hunters Point in coming months—with five currently seeking liquor licenses.
Next week, the public will hear from the owners of those establishments at a hearing put on by Community Board 2 in Hunters Point (see details below). Residents will also be given a chance to have their say on whether they think such licenses should be granted.
The following businesses/establishments will be up for review.
1) Mu Ramen, 12-09 Jackson Avenue (noodles)
2) Flea Concessions, 5-25 46th Avenue (LIC Flea)
3) LIC Food & Spirits, 11-18 46th Road (unknown)
4) David Shifteh, 10-17 Jackson Avenue (Mediterranean )
5) Roc Lu, 47-23 Vernon Blvd (Pizzeria)
6) Beans, Grapes and Leaves, 50-01 2nd Street (Unknown)
Liquor licenses have not been easy to get in Hunters Point in recent years—and there have been several pitched battles between residents and business owners in the past decade particularly in the Vernon Blvd area.
“Many people think there are too many liquor licenses [in Hunters Point] and don’t want any more,” said Pat O’Brien, who is in charge of liquor licenses for Community Board 2. “Others like what the restaurants bring to a community,” he said. “That is why we have the hearing.”
Nevertheless, many businesses have been forced to accept the loss of backyard space or have had to limit their business hours in order to get such a license. The pizzeria at 47-23 Vernon Blvd, which seeks a wine & beer license, plans on using its backyard space.
The red-hot debate about liquor licenses surfaced about a decade ago and ultimately led to a popular bar/restaurant (the now defunct Lounge 47, at 47-10 Vernon Blvd) being denied the use of its backyard space, following a litany of noise complaints.
Since then, businesses such as Woodbines (which now occupies the former Lounge 47 location), Alobar and Blend have made an agreement with Community Board 2 not to use their backyard space in order to get a license. Some bars/restaurants have also agreed to cut back their hours.
Restaurants seek the support of Community Board 2 in their quest to get a liquor license, since it has significant influence with the State Liquor Authority, which has the final say.
Revised March 19, 2014 Community Board 2 Public Hearing Agenda Copy by sunnysidepost
9 Comments
Actually, it has not been approved, I looked it up online and it is pending. So not sure where you got your info.
Seems like one place should not be on the list for tomorrow night’s meeting.
The state liquor authority confirms that the pizza place on Vernon’s liquor license has already been approved. The approval letter was sent out last week. The community board has had the application since Oct 2013. Since the state liqour people did not hear anything from the community board about the application one way or another, they assumed it was not opposed and approved the license. That makes tomorrow’s meeting a sham as far as that license is concerned. So whether you’re in favor of liquor licenses and the use of backyard spaces as bars or not, this one has already been decided. And that’s not fair for anyone in LIC.
The community board does not set the rules, the New York State Liquor Authority does, and they have what’s known as the 500 foot rule, stating you can not have a full liquor license within 500 feet to another establishment, school, place of worship. Before anyone says anything about Vernon Blvd. Having more then that, this rule is relatively new also any establishment that had a liquor license for the address is grandfathered in, as long as the liquor license was in good standing.
The David Shifteh restaurant is going to be Mediterranean.
Beans, Grapes, and Leaves sounds like a Mediterranean restaurant 🙂
@LIC Dude I agree. Almost all Community Boards in Manhattan have term limits, why doesn’t ours? CB2 is corrupt, that’s why.
Bring ’em on and more!
Time to get rid of some community board members who oppose liquor licenses on Vernon Blvd.! If not there, where? Seems silly.
And what about LIC Food & Spirits?
Any idea what Beans, Grapes, and Leaves is going to be?