April 29, 2015 By Christian Murray
A bar/restaurant located on the corner of 48th Street and Barnett Avenue has come under fire by local residents.
Several residents have complained about noise coming from the 47-15 Barnett Avenue establishment, while others allege that it has been operating well past 4 am (after hours).
Community Board 2 Chair Pat O’Brien said the board has fielded more than six complaints regarding the establishment in recent months.
Furthermore, the operators of the bar/restaurant—called Baru–have failed to show up at several board meetings in recent months to discuss the renewal of their liquor license, according to board records. (see March meeting)
Emilo Rubio opened Baru in 2012 as a Colombian restaurant.
Rubio has been a controversial figure in Sunnyside for years. Nearly a decade ago, he wanted to open Punto G—Spanish for G spot—at the Barnett Ave. location. Many outraged residents thought he was opening a strip club– a claim Rubio denied.
The community board is currently keeping the 108 police precinct up-to-date with the complaints it has been fielding, according to police.
“The main complaints we receive [concerning Baru] deal with noise and after hours drinking,” said Captain John Travaglia, the commanding officer of the precinct, at the monthly community council meeting last night.
Travaglia said that he has a unit that focuses on bars/restaurants that has been monitoring Baru. He said that his officers had not yet observed any of the problems that residents have raised.
However, Travaglia said that while his officers had yet to encounter problems it doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. “I don’t deny the validity of the claims,” he said.
“We are actively looking into the location,” Travaglia said. However, he did note that there are several other establishments in the precinct that also have to be monitored between 3 am and 5 am.
In terms of noise, Travaglia’s officers believe that a big part of the problem are the patrons hanging outside as they come in and out.
Rubio could not be reached for comment.
