The Community Board 3 panel that evaluates liquor licenses got through their agenda in less than five hours tonight – a shockingly short meeting for this bunch. We'll have a full recap in the morning. But just in case you can't stand the suspense, the SLA committee agreed to support an extension of "Grand Park's" liquor license (reaffirming their original vote back in June). In spite of opposition from several residents of the Seward Park Co-op, the CB3 members said they were unwilling to get involved in what they called internal "co-op politics." Hartman has been in lease negotiations with the Co-op for months. He does not have a signed lease.
The committee also supported applications from Inoteca, Vibrations (116 Avenue C), a new Mexican taqueria in the "Clinton Restaurant" location, a diner from the Freemans team at 325 Bowery and La Gente (an all-day, casual Italian restaurant from the owners of Grotto).
While I understand some of the residents of Seward Park not wanting Grand Park to have a full liquor license, a restaurant on that part of Grand St. with a full license can only do good things for the neighborhood and property values. I think the problem comes more from restaurants and bars clustered in one area (which they’re not on Grand St.). It seems that there is generational divide brewing (or in full swing) in Seward Park.