The saga surrounding a new restaurant coming to 106 Rivington Street shifted to the State Liquor Authority offices in upper Manhattan yesterday. The applicants, Jose Orlando Rodriguez and Robert Payne, made their case for a full bar at a 500 Foot Hearing (required anytime there are three or more liquor licenses within 500 feet of a proposed establishment).
Community Board 3 was also represented along with representatives of the LES Dwellers organization, which opposes the new restaurant on a block they believe is already over-saturated with bars and restaurants. In October, CB3 voted to oppose the full liquor license, although they approved a wine and beer only permit.
An administrative law judge will now prepare a report for the SLA. Yet another hearing will be scheduled before the full board of the Liquor Authority. Yesterday’s sometimes contentious hearing focused, as the law requires, on establishing whether the new license would be in the “public interest.” We’ll have a detailed report on Monday.
