106 Rivington Will Fight SLA for Liquor License Tomorrow

Local business owners behind the proposed Latin “restaurant” at 106 Rivington Street – Jose Orlando Rodriguez and Robert Payne – will have their day with the State Liquor Authority tomrrow morning (11 am). The applicants’ desire for on-premise liquor was narrowly thwarted by the full Community Board 3 back in October. A wine and beer license was instead recommended for the establishment.

Not content with the results, and reportedly backed by a powerful lobbyist (Capalino + Company) and SLA lawyer, the applicants hope to fully overturn the decision of the local advisory board. By the way, the 106 Rivington legal team describes the current state of Lower East Side nightlife as such:

The Premises is situated in a densely populated and heavily trafficked commercial strip, less than two blocks from the Williamsburg Bridge. Considering the Premises’ relative maximum occupancy, the issuance of a full liquor license will not negatively impact traffic patterns around the Premises. Notably, the Hotel On Rivington is a popular 21-story hotel with 107 guest rooms and is located directly across the street from the Premises. Not only does this hotel draw numerous guests from out of town but it is also popular with New Yorkers for its restaurant and separate lounge spaces. There are also numerous galleries, performance spaces and the 7.8 acre Sara Delano Roosevelt Park in addition to the bars and restaurants all within a few blocks of the Premises which draw many visitors.

The Applicant anticipates that its customers will primarily consist of people either residing in the neighborhood or who would otherwise be in the neighborhood to visit one of the many attractions. As such, the relatively small operation of the Premises, as compared to other area attractions, would not likely create additional traffic nor would it negatively impact the existing traffic patterns.

If this strikes a chord, and you oppose a liquor license for 106 Rivington Street, below is a template letter to Chairman Dennis Rosen. The LES Dwellers are collecting the missives ahead of the meeting:

January [date], 2013

Chairman Dennis Rosen
NY State Liquor Authority
317 Lenox Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Dear Chairman Rosen,

As a resident, I support Lower East Dwellers concerns about the neighborhood and oppose a full liquor license and 4am closing time for the new proposed, unnamed 200 occupancy “restaurant/lounge” at 106 Rivington Street. The impact of another full liquor license with 4am closing will be devastating to an already suffering community.

[Add any personal stories/comment or Address any neighborhood concerns, issues, or hardships]:

Please do not overturn the ruling of Community Board 3 on this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your full name]
[Address]
New York, NY 10002

Meanwhile, a concurrent petition gathered 72 signatures in support of saving the beloved old stoop from certain demolition.