Says R’wood Location Could Serve Thousands
With a proposed Ridgewood “seasonal bar” looking to serve alcohol to hundreds of guests at a time, Community Board 5 members took a stand against it during the advisory body’s meeting last Wednesday, Sept. 10, in Middle Village.
The board voted unanimously on a resolution asking the State Liquor Authority (SLA) to deny a wine and/or beer license application submitted by disc jockey and musician Justin Carter for an establishment to be determined at 56-06 Cooper Ave., a former factory located in Ridgewood’s South of Myrtle Avenue (SOMA) Industrial Business Zone.
The resolution also called upon the Department of Buildings to deny granting any certificates of occupancy permitting thousands of patrons on site at a given time.
According to the application, the license would allow for a seasonal outdoor bar with a capacity of 600 or more patrons featuring live and recorded music along with small-scale dancing.
The open-ended capacity on the SLA application drew concern from Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano.
“That could be 601, or that could be 2,000, 3,000 or 4,000 [people] … or whatever size they can get a public assembly permit for,” Giordano told members.
Comparisons were made between the proposed Ridgewood entity and the Knockdown Center, an arts and entertainment venue opened at a former glass factory in Maspeth. Earlier this year, the Knockdown Center’s operators unsuccessfully sought liquor license permits to serve 600 or more persons on site.
The SLA denied their application following objections from Board 5, local elected officials and area civic organizations over concerns about excessive noise, crowd control and traffic problems.
Giordano and board members feared a growing trend that former factories and warehouses in historically industrial areas of the district being converted into large-scale bars, catering halls and/or performing arts venues.
“I certainly don’t want to see venues with thousands of people at different points in Board 5,” the district manager added. “The places you can do that, if you get the liquor license, are the factory buildings because of the size of the buildings and the lots.”
Board 5 Chairperson Vincent Arcuri noted alcohol was served at the Knockdown Center during two recent weddings. This was permitted, however, since outside caterers, which hold their own liquor licenses, were brought in to serve guests.
“The Knockdown Center has not been issued any temporary liquor licenses since we turned them down last time,” Arcuri said. “Caterers have a license they carry from location to location. They notify the SLA when they’re going to a location for a one-day event.”
The caterers notified Board 5 of both events as a courtesy to the SLA and the board, he added.
Other board members pointed out concerns between the location of the Cooper Avenue site and nearby subway stations.
“It’s not close to any kind of public transportation,” said Margaret O’Kane, who noted she recently visited the location to examine it. “The police would have to establish corridors on the way to the Halsey Street [L train] station,” which is located about a quarter-mile walk from 56-06 Cooper Ave.
“It’s very much analogous to the Knockdown Center,” O’Kane added, “except it is more decrepit and in a more desolate location.”
By contrast, the nearest subway station to the Knockdown Center-the Jefferson Street L train stop-is a three-quarter-mile walk from the Maspeth venue.
Following the board’s vote, Arcuri asked its Land Use and Public Safety committees to consider if the advisory body should take a permanent position against any establishments seeking liquor licenses to serve 600 or more patrons in the Board 5 area.
“It could eliminate any future catering establishments,” he added. “I think the two committees should discuss it and get back to us.”
The Times Newsweekly reached out to Carter seeking comment, but as of press time, no response was received.
