Jerry Delakas Wins; Beloved Astor Place Newsstand Will Reopen
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Photo: Michael Paul (via Facebook)
David beat the ousted Goliath of Manhattan.
By now you’ve likely read the news that Jerry Delakas’ beloved newsstand will remain in Astor Place for the foreseeable future. Mayor de Blasio reversed the stance of his predecessor by intervening on behalf of the vendor. And a community is grateful. The gate to his Cemusa box will be lifted once again.
After a nudge from its new boss, the Department of Consumer Affairs finally agreed to issue a new license to Delakas, 64, effective immediately. Until now, the city had refused to allow a transfer of ownership from the family who held the original license. Powerful law firm Proskauer Rose was even tapped on a pro-bono basis to ensure a swift eviction. Nope…
The bargain struck with the city is as follows, according to a report in DNAinfo:
Delakas must pay the city $1,000 for a new license before he can reopen, plus the first $1,000 out of a $9,000 fine, according to legal documents.
He has to pay another $3,000 in May, $2,000 in August and $3,000 by Nov. 1, according to the documents.
Many believe that Delakas’ personal appeal to the Mayor during the Gracie Mansion open house two weeks ago directly affected the decision. Whatever the reasoning, though, it’s nice to revel in this small victory for the little guy.
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