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State Licenses and Permits

March 2021, Public Safety & Quality of Life Committee

240 CENTRAL PARK SOUTH, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019, ALTAMAREA LLC D/B/A “MAREA”, APPLICATION FOR ALTERATION TO AN ON-PREMISES LIQUOR LICENSE

At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, March 11, 2021, the following resolution passed with a vote of 34 in favor; 2 opposed; 1 abstaining: 

WHEREAS, ALTAMAREA LLC (the “Applicant”), has notified Community Board Five of its intention to file for amendment to its existing on-premises liquor license for the restaurant located at 240 Central Park South (between Seventh Avenue and Broadway), New York, New York 10019 (the “Premises”); and

WHEREAS, The Premises consists of approximately 10,419 square feet of space on the ground floor, 725 square feet of space of outdoor space at the ground floor courtyard, and 4,054 square feet of basement space, including dining space, storage, offices and kitchen prep area;

WHEREAS, The Premises will be operated exclusively as a restaurant and bar, with 48 tables and 133 seats (including banquette seating) for dining and 16 bar stools indoors and with 9 tables and 32 seats in the outdoor courtyard; and

WHEREAS, Applicant shall alter its existing liquor license as follows:

1. a) Adding an exterior patio with 9 tables and 32 seats;
2. b) Adding a new entrance to the exterior patio;
3. c) Increasing interior tables from 26 to 48 tables;
4. d) Decreasing interior seating from 134 to 133 seats (including basement private dining);
5. e) Increasing the number of bar stools from 14 to 16; and
6. f) Removing the sushi counter; and

WHEREAS, Applicant has agreed that Applicant shall:

1. Operate the Premises as a restaurant with seated bar and dining service only (private parties shall be deemed included in restaurant use but promoter-driven events are specifically excluded from restaurant use);
2. Be responsible for any use of promoters and at any time that an event or party is hosted or marketed by a third party (in whole or in part): (i) at all times Applicant shall remain responsible for and in complete control of the Premises and its patrons and (ii) all material positions of operation shall be the employees of the Applicant at all times;
3. Endeavor to (i) ensure that patrons enter and leave the Premises in a peaceful, quiet and respectful manner; (ii) discourage patrons from congregating outside the Premises, and (iii) use best efforts to clear the area outside the Premises of all patrons immediately after closing;
4. Strictly comply with and adhere to the plans for the operation of the business, as set forth herein;
5. Have background music only, and in no event shall a DJ, live music or dancing ever be permitted at the Premises;
6. Not utilize an exterior “velvet rope” door policy. Exterior queuing required for purposes of maintaining legal capacity shall be permitted so long as Applicant has an employee responsible for maintaining the orderliness of patrons;
7. Discourage customers from loitering outside the Premises at any time;
8. Arrange for private garbage pick up and its garbage will be stored in a manner so as not to cause a disturbance or annoyance to its neighbors;
9. Meet with neighbors and CB5 if requested and shall provide a telephone number to a live manager or owner to immediately address any complaints from the community;
10. Not have any speakers or other means of playing or streaming music outdoors;
11. Adhere to a strict closing hour of 10 PM for all outdoor spaces, meaning the spaces is fully vacated by the closing hour;
12. Provide only seated table service at the outdoor space;
13. Provide to CB5 written confirmation in the form of an excerpt from the lease or other agreement providing for the Applicant’s legal right to utilize this space as provided for by the landlord, which shall not be provided to or disclosed by CB5 to any other person and which shall be treated as confidential;
14. Noting that the building is a landmark, Applicant shall work within the constraints thereof and endeavor to provide sound baffling to dampen and reduce the volume of sound traveling up from the tables to the residences above and shall also endeavor to replace the plastic sheeting barrier between the outdoor space and the awning-covered entryway with a physical visual barrier, subject to the approval of the landlord, and to LPC, if required; and

WHEREAS, Applicant agreed to return to CB5 in six (6) months to evaluate the success of the restrictions now established to minimize disturbance of the residents in the vicinity of the Premises; and 

WHEREAS, Should Applicant ever contemplate a transfer of its interest in the operation at the Premises (“transfer” being deemed to include a change in control of an entity or the transfer of a majority interest in an entity), Applicant shall notify CB5 before such transfer is made and shall require any transferee to agree to the conditions and stipulations contained herein; and

WHEREAS, Should Ahmass Fakahany ever contemplate a transfer of his interest in Applicant so that he does not have a controlling management interest in Applicant (“transfer” being deemed to include a change in control of an entity or the transfer of a majority interest in an entity), notice shall be given to CB5 before such transfer is made and any transferee shall be required to agree to the conditions and stipulations contained herein; and

WHEREAS, Members of the public appeared and commented regarding this application and the comments and concerns of the community were taken into consideration in negotiating these conditions and stipulations; and

WHEREAS, These agreements, stipulations and conditions will be incorporated into the Method of Operation as part of the liquor license alteration application submitted by Applicant to the New York State Liquor Authority, a copy of which shall be simultaneously submitted to CB5, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the application by ALTAMAREA LLC for amendment to its existing on-premises liquor license for the restaurant located at 240 Central Park South (between Seventh Avenue and Broadway), New York, New York 10019, unless the above conditions are adhered to and are incorporated into the method of operation of the State Liquor Authority application.