Photo via Hospitality Holdings.
By Mark Bollettieri
Despite community concern, Empire Rooftop’s application for a two-year liquor license has been approved by the Business & Consumer Issues Committee of Community Board 7.
The application was submitted by Hospitality Holdings, the Empire Rooftop’s new owners and operators. The previous owner of the rooftop bar at 44 West 63rd Street, China Grill Management, was sued once in 2009 and again in 2014 by The Harmony, a neighboring luxury co-op. The residents of the co-op claimed that the bar played loud music until 4:00 AM and refused to answer a noise-complaints hotline that the court ordered they put in place.
The new owners of the rooftop bar promised they would be better neighbors. Kenneth McClure, Vice President of Hospitality Holdings, said that he was “very well aware” of the community’s concerns, and has “implemented a number of things to ensure a good relationship [with The Harmony].”
The new bar, he said, would be “an upscale cocktail lounge”, rather than a DJ-driven club like the old one. It will close at 1:00 AM Sunday through Wednesday, and 2:00 AM Thursday through Saturday. The renovated interior, he said, offers a “much more elegant experience.”
Some residents of The Harmony were still concerned that the bar would be too loud. Monte Friedman, who lives in The Harmony, said that he’s concerned about the smoking section on the east side of the rooftop. Conversations from that section are audible from his apartment and have frequently disturbed his sleep in the past. Friedman also mentioned that music from the west side of the bar reverberates against The Harmony.
George Zeppenfeldt-Cestero, Co-Chair of the Business & Consumer Issues Committee, was hopeful the new owners would be respectful neighbors and reminded residents of The Harmony not to hold the new owners accountable for their issues with the previous owner.
The Committee ultimately approved Empire Rooftop’s application, with the stipulations that they would install noise-mitigation measures on the west side of the bar, confirm that the rooftop smoking section is legal, and return to the Committee in six months for a review. The state liquor authority will also have to review the application.
Looks. very nice, but how about some music softer than a DJ would likely provide, offered up by a pianist/keyboard player? (hint, hint)
Hoping, for the sake of my friends at The Harmony, that they keep their promise!
What’s the relationship between Hospitality Holdings and the Podolsky family ( https://nymag.com/news/features/podolsky-homeless-shelters-2013-12/index2.html )? I thought the patriarch of the latter owned the Empire and was notorious for mistreatment of lower income tenants in other properties he owned?