There are a few items of interest on the agenda for Community Board 3’s February liquor permit meeting.
As EV Grieve noted yesterday, James Morrissey of the Late Late on East Houston St. and Gerard McNamee of Webster Hall will pitch plans for a new place called “The Honey Fitz” at 129 St. Mark’s Place (Avenue A). The space would be created by combining Nino’s Pizza (closed since October due to a gas leak) and the former Hop Devil Grill.
The application includes several letters of support from local residents. But notably there are also testimonials from officials in the Ninth Precinct and the fire department’s Engine Company 33.
The letter from Lieut. Patrick Ferguson, who heads special operations at the Ninth Precinct, is dated July 24 of last year. It serves as a general recommendation for McNamee, Webster Hall’s director of operations. “Mr. McNamee,” wrote Ferguson, “is a true professional and runs Webster Hall in a professional manner. He has constantly maintained an excellent working relationship with the Ninth Precinct and with the community for the past eight years.”
In an undated letter, Captain Timothy McGuiness of the FDNY writes, “One business that is operated by a no-nonsense professional is Webster Hall… run by Gerard McNamee… Gerard is respectful and responsible and is eager to help us achieve our goal whether it be anything from a medical call or an investigation of routine alarm.”
It might not be unheard of — but written endorsements of nightlife operators from the local police and fire departments are at least somewhat unusual. Here’s the full application if you’d like to have a look.
This is shameful. Red flag. Did the higher ups at NYPD and FDNY sanction this?
Late Late is a nightmare and Webster Hall is far from an examaplary business.
#Bratton #NYPD #FDNY #Corruption
Of course they’ll support this application. They need a place to drink