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State Licenses and Permits
MANHATTAN NUVO LLC D/B/A “LE REVE”, 125 East 54th Street, New York, New York (between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue), application for renewal of an existing on-premises liquor license.
WHEREAS, MANHATTAN NUVO LLC (“Applicant”), has notified Community Board Five of its intention to file for renewal of its existing on premises liquor license for the bar/restaurant known as “Le Reve” located at 125 East 54th Street, New York, New York (between Park and Lexington Avenue), New York, New York (the "Premises");
WHEREAS, This operation has had a long history of disturbances; and
WHEREAS, In 2018 there were at least 18 reports of police activity involving the Premises, 6 of which were felonies: 2 Grand Larcenies, 2 Assaults, and 2 counts of Criminal Impersonation of a police officer, as well as various violations of the ABC Law and the Fire Code (see Attachment #1); and
WHEREAS, One of the more serious incidents, occurring on 7/1/18, involved a fight at the Premises with multiple assaults, including two victims being slashed by a box cutter, resulting in six (6) felony arrests; and
WHEREAS, On 09/26/2018, the SLA entered into a settlement with the Applicant regarding various offenses, SLA Case No. 127611; and
WHEREAS, Even after this settlement and perhaps others with the SLA, there continued to be disturbances and assaults occurring at the Premises, including one on 11/04/2018 involving a large, disorderly group fighting in front of the Premises, resulting in 2 misdemeanor arrests (see Attachment #2); and
WHEREAS, There is currently an investigation by the SLA – Case #132428 – regarding incidents involving the Premises on 11/11/2018 and 03/03/2019, but those records remain protected and we were unable to obtain further detail (see Attachment #3); and
WHEREAS, What we were able to determine about the 11/11/18 incident was that it involved disorderly conduct at the Premises whereby an employee at the Premises used pepper spray to control an out of control patron, and that the employee was dressed in a bullet proof vest and was in possession of two cans of pepper spray, a metal expandable baton, and shoe spikes, in order to control unruly patrons (see Attachment #4); and
WHEREAS, The fact that the operator sees the need to dress and equip their employees in tactical gear, including a bullet-proof vest, and arm them with pepper spray, shoe spikes, and metal batons, is clear evidence that the Premises is out of control; and
WHEREAS, Residents living near the Premises attended a hearing of the Public Safety and Quality of Life Committee of CB5 on April 24, 2019 and testified to a continuous pattern of disorderly conduct, assaults, rowdy patrons, patrons arriving and departing the Premises with car stereos blaring, uncontrolled crowds in front of the Premises, screaming and fighting patrons, drunken patrons, patrons jumping on cars in front of the Premises, and other complaints; and
WHEREAS, Based on the police record and resident testimony, it is clear to the community that the Premises cannot continue to be operated by this Applicant; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the application for renewal of the existing on premises liquor license for the bar/restaurant known as “Le Reve” located at 125 East 54th Street, New York, New York.
ATTACHMENT #1: POLICE REPORTS FROM 2018: ABC LAW VIOLATIONS: FIRE CODE VIOLATIONS
ATTACHMENT #2: POLICE REPORTS FOR 11/04/18 INCIDENTS
ATTACHMENT #3: SLA RESPONSE TO FOIL REQUEST 2019-09549
ATTACHMENT #4: POLICE REPORT OF 11/11/2018 INCIDENT