Now I've Heard Everything

The State Liquor Authority and Department of Consumer Affairs Licensing Committee of Manhattan’s Community Board 3 held a meeting on Monday night at which a crowd of more than 100 people showed up.  The first order of business was consideration of the application for a liquor license for the proposed 173 E. 2nd Street location of the The Living Room. In the end, The SLA & DCA Committee voted to deny The Living Room’s application.

Jennifer Gilson and Steve Rosenbaum Rosenthal, the owners of The Living Room were present with Jennifer stating that the proposed new location would contain 174 seats and include a kitchen which would serve what was described as American tapas.  Also present at the meeting were residents of the 100 block of East 2nd Street, 90 of whom had signed a petition asking that The Living Room’s liquor license application for the location be denied.

There were several speakers both in support and opposed to the Living Room’s license application.  But the SLA & DCA Committee also focused on a zoning issue.  The proposed new Living Room location is in a area zoned as residential; its commercial use was permitted only because of grandfathering.  It was not clear whether such grandfathering would permit ticketed and scheduled performances in that space.  Although The Living Room has requested that the NYC government rule on the issue, no ruling has yet been received.

The SLA & DCA Committee then voted.  As a result of the ambiguity surrounding the zoning issue and the fact that the proposed location was located in the middle of a residential area, the committee voted to deny the application of The Living Room for a liquor license for the East 2nd Street location.

Although the SLA & DCA Committee vote is not the final step in the liquor license application process, it is an important one.  It is not at all clear what happens to The Living Room and its proposed East 2nd Street location going forward.