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Land Use, Housing & Zoning
N 150378 ZCM, 12 EAST 49TH STREET, REQUEST BY KATO INTERNATIONAL LLC TO ALLOW THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF AN OPEN AIR CAFÉ WITHIN AN EXISTING PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE OPEN AREA AT 12 EAST 49TH STREET
WHEREAS, Kato International LLC is seeking approval pursuant to ZR § 37-73 for the continued operation of an open air cafe located within an existing publically accessible open area at 12 East 49th Street (Block 1284, Lot 7); and
WHEREAS, The site includes a 45-story commercial office building and two public plazas, the North Plaza along East 49th Street and the South Plaza along East 48th Street, with the open air cafe located in the northwest corner of the South Plaza; and
WHEREAS, An open air café is already in operation at the site, managed by Shinbashi Restaurant; and
WHEREAS, The continued operation of the open air cafe will not adversely affect the character of the neighborhood and is consistent with surrounding land uses in the area;
WHEREAS The two existing signs indicating the public nature of the plaza are on the east and west edges of the site and not immediately adjacent to the cafe; and
WHEREAS, A stanchion or similar signage noting that seating by the cafe is open to the public would help communicate the public nature of the plaza;
WHEREAS, Community Board Five wants to ensure that publicly accessible plazas are clearly indicated as such; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of Kato International LLC's application to allow the continued operation of an open air café within an existing publicly accessible open area at 12 East 49th Street conditional upon installation of a stanchion or similar signage to note that seating by the cafe is open to the public.