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Consents & Variances
22 West 32nd Street, K-Town Sauna, application filed pursuant to Zoning Resolution Section 73-36 for a special permit to allow the operation of a physical culture establishment on the 3rd &4th floors.
At the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, December 11, 2014, the Board passed the following resolution by a vote of 33 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.
WHEREAS, K-Town Sauna is applying for a special permit for a physical culture establishment offering massages, facials, scrubs and skin treatments by licensed professionals; and
WHEREAS, The premises would occupy 13,263 square feet and is located on the third and fourth floors of a commercial building on 32nd Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue currently under construction; and
WHEREAS, The spa's hours of operation would be 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with an average of 80-100 guests per day; and
WHEREAS, The applicant has never operated a spa of this size, and had limited answers regarding the opening date of the spa and the progress being made on construction; and
WHEREAS, The need to operate a spa 24/7 in the area is questionable, yet the principal of K-Town Sauna declined to amend their hours in any way; and
WHEREAS, The use of co-ed facilities during late night hours causes concern; and
WHEREAS, The owner has no experience operating a facility of this size; and
WHEREAS, The spa owner could not speak to the amount of money needed to open the establishment, nor could she discuss any investment details; and
WHEREAS, The spa owner could not provide any investors as a reference and there seemed a lack of transparency in the spa's financing; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five is gravely concerned with the methods of operation of many spas in this area and the overall impact of potentially adding another such spa to the neighborhood; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the application of K-Town Sauna for a special permit to allow the operation of a physical culture establishment on the 3rd and 4th floors of 22 West 32nd Street.