State Denies Maspeth Venue’s Liquor Permit
Maspeth’s Knockdown Center lost its bid for a liquor license on Tuesday, May 6, when the State Liquor Authority (SLA) denied its application.
Community activists and elected officials cheered the rejection of a liquor license for the arts and entertainment venue located in a former glass factory at 52-19 Flushing Ave. Opponents feared the facility-which had planned to hold events accommodating up to 5,000 patrons-would cause myriad quality-of-life problems for nearby residents. The license would have allowed the facility to serve alcoholic beverages to 600 or more patrons at a given time.
It was the latest setback for the Knockdown Center, which cancelled the first of two concerts featuring rap artist M.I.A. scheduled for this evening, Thursday, May 8. Tomorrow night’s show (May 9), however, is going on as planned.
Last month, the SLA denied temporary liquor licenses for the Knockdown Center to serve alcoholic beverages at the M.I.A. concerts.
The owners of the premises- DMI Inc., led by David Sklar-altered the application days after the SLAraised similar concerns at an Apr. 22 hearing. Through attorney Terrence Flynn, they submitted documents indicating a reduced maximum occupancy to 3,100, security plans for large events and reassurances regarding the availability of public transportation and off-street parking.
In the end, SLA Chairperson Dennis Rosen and Commissioner Jeanique Greene stated at the authority’s May 6 meeting in Harlem they believed the Knockdown Center didn’t do enough to address concerns from community activists and the 104th Precinct, which also previously informed the SLA of its opposition to the application.
“With all of the material you presented, obviously the community and the Police Department aren’t convinced this is going to be a controlled place,” Greene told Flynn during the meeting. “The population you are targeting may not be 3,100 every night, but it still has the potential to be” out of control.
“There were concerns that are reasonable concerns with respect to crowd control and the related issues that we’ve discussed,” Rosen added. “Again, I really see no community support for this at all.”
Flynn indicated that he would seek to appeal the SLA’s decision to the courts. According to the SLA, applicants who are rejected may file an Article 78 proceeding asking a state court “to review a decision or action of a New York State official or administrative agency.”
That action, however, may not happen for another 30 days, as the SLA must first issue its final written decision on the Knockdown Center within that timeframe.
‘Relieved’ with the decision
Nevertheless, those who long opposed the Knockdown Center praised the SLA for rejecting the application in interviews with the Times Newsweekly following Tuesday’s decision.
“I’m pleased with the decision and I think it shows the integrity of the commissioners,” said Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano.
“I’m relieved that the SLA sided with the community and I wish the Knockdown Center well in their operation of an alcohol-free arts center,” added local activist Christina Wilkinson, who testified against the application at the SLA’s Apr. 22 hearing.
Wilkinson and the presidents of two local civic groups-Robert Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) and Rosemarie Daraio of the Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET) civic association- submitted joint testimony to the SLA on May 5 in response to the Knockdown Center’s application changes.
“Certainly it demonstrates that any company or community that tries to come in and affect the quality of life for the neighborhood [is] going to be in for a battle,” Holden told this paper. “This thing had no benefits whatsoever for Maspeth.”
“We didn’t win the war, but we won a battle,” Daraio added. “I think it will curtail any rowdy activity if they’re sober. … I couldn’t say it would deter people from going, but it would certainly help prevent any kind of rowdiness and other mischief.”
“This is a vital step in preserving residents’ quality of life and maintaining the needed level of neighborhood safety,” said State Sen. Joseph Addabbo. “I will continue to fight to keep our homes and streets a safe haven when it comes to the Knockdown Center as well as any other establishment threatening our way of life. I look forward to an open dialogue regarding the future of this site.”
“The residents of Ridgewood and Maspeth deserve to have their questions answered and their concerns addressed before the Knockdown Center is ever granted a liquor license, and I thank the SLA for preserving the community’s quality of life with this decision,” added State Sen. Michael Gianaris.
“I am pleased by the State Liquor Authority’s decision to deny the Knockdown Center its liquor license,” said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, who called it “a great victory for our community and the many groups … who expressed serious concerns about this establishment.”
Through a statement from her spokesperson, Javier Lacayo, City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley indicated that she “continues to support the Knockdown Center as a cultural institution.”
“She believes that it is the responsibility of the State Liquor Authority to decide whether or not to issue a liquor license, and defers to their judgment,” Lacayo added.
Crowley took flak from community activists in recent months for supporting the Knockdown Center. In previous appearances, she indicated the facility has the potential to serve as an economic engine for the community.
Unconvinced by changes
Responding to a mandate from Rosen, Flynn submitted follow-up testimony to the SLA last week regarding security protocols and changes designed to allay community concerns.
Along with reducing the maximum occupancy to 3,100, Flynn wrote the Knockdown Center secured the services of Citadel Security Agency to provide security at its large events. Management also pledged to inform the 104th Precinct well in advance of large gatherings planned for the facility.
Responding to concerns about the lack of public transportation in the area, Flynn said the Knockdown Center would provide shuttle service to the nearest subway station-the Jefferson Street stop on the L line in Bushwick, located nearly a mile from the Maspeth location.
Notices would be posted on the Knockdown Center’s website advising patrons of the shuttle and to take Flushing Avenue and other commercial streets if they wished to walk to the Jefferson Street station. He also mentioned the Knockdown Center is served by five nearby bus lines.
Regarding noise concerns, Flynn indicated the Knockdown Center- which is surrounded by walls up to 16′-high made of brick and/or corrugated steel-would sufficiently contain the noise and not cause inconvenience to residents in the surrounding area.
“The applicant premise has presented documentation that the premise can be operated without causing any disruption to the community,” Flynn wrote. “The opposition is solely based on unsubstantiated belief that something may go wrong.”
In their joint response to the SLA, Wilkinson, Holden and Daraio charged reducing the Knockdown Center’s maximum occupancy “would not make this venue any less detrimental to our neighborhood.” They cited, as one example, a recent lecture which drew a crowd of 750 to the Knockdown Center-but caused a late-night traffic jam on a nearby street.
They also pointed out the Knockdown Center’s temporary place of assembly permit for the M.I.A. concerts lists a maximum capacity of 3,500, inconsistent with the number the Knockdown Center provided to the SLA.
A local resident, they claimed, reported seeing many taxis doubleparked along the roadway with horns blaring.
Wilkinson, Holden and Daraio also rejected Flynn’s claims about public transportation availability, as two of the five local bus lines (the B38 and B57) serving the area do not operate overnight. Other buses operate on sporadic schedules from every 20 minutes to every half-hour.
The civic activists also said the Knockdown Center’s exterior walls would not be enough to contain noise and that the security plan was “inadequate,” as the facility would still need to rely on local police for traffic and crowd control at big events.
“All of the issues of concern should have been worked out long before this point,” they wrote. “It is clear by their method of operation and the information they submitted with their petition that they do not understand our area and do not care to.”
