There’s been a setback for Eastwood, the bar poised to open very soon at 221 East Broadway (Clinton Street). The State Liquor Authority ruled yesterday that a new license cannot be granted at this location because the bar is less than 200 feet from at least one church.
In June of last year, Community Board 3 decided to support the full liquor application after a contentious debate. Neighbors were divided; some spoke in favor of the establishment while others expressed concerns about noise and late night crowds. One prominent opponent was Pastor Marc Rivera of Primitive Christian Church, located a block or so away from the proposed bar.
During the community board hearings, the two sides disagreed whether the license would be in violation of what’s known as the “200 Foot Rule,” a section of state law that “prohibits certain licenses from being issued if the location of the establishment is on the same street and within 200 feet of a building that is used exclusively as a school, church, synagogue or other place of worship.” But the SLA agreed with the opponents. Local elected officials sent a letter to the liquor authority requesting a review of the “200 Foot” issue.
Eastwood owners Sivan Harlap and Andrew States now have a decision to make. They could end up going for a beer and wine license. The 200 Foot Rule only applies to full liquor permits. We’ll let you know what we hear.
