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Parks & Public Spaces
"Maisel Mile' 5th Ave Event
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, April 13, 2023, the following resolution passed with a vote of 33 in favor; 0 opposed; 2 abstaining:
WHEREAS, SWP (“Applicant”) has proposed a marketing event “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5 Launch Event” (the “Event”) that will consist of a promotional and marketing effort for the 5th Season of the television show to be held along 5th Avenue from 46th Street to 56th Street on April 14, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the Event will consist of installing a 5 foot wide pink outdoor all-weather carpet on both sides of 5th Avenue from 46th Street to 56th Street (designated “the Marvelous Mile” per the television show) with signage and instructions directing and enticing interested participants and pedestrians to arrive in the vicinity of the main entrance of Saks Fifth Avenue (49th Street and 50th Street); and
WHEREAS, This will also include special pink carpeting on the sidewalks of 5th Avenue and 49th and 50th Streets adjacent to Saks Fifth Avenue, and having branded vintage vehicles in the parking lanes of 50th and 49th Streets; and
WHEREAS, Production parking would be on East 56th Street and East 55th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues; and
WHEREAS, The Applicant anticipates up to 60 people will be working the Event; and
WHEREAS, Along the so-called “Marvelous Mile”, there will be Amazon Prime Video branded NYC street pole banners, (5) manned 10’ x 10’ photo backdrops as “photo-ops” spread along the route that will allow pedestrians who want to participate to have their pictures taken or to take pictures on their own; and
WHEREAS, The photo-op stations will be placed in areas where the sidewalk is the widest, so as not to block buildings, doors, or interfere with pedestrian traffic; and
WHEREAS, There will be signage and staff along the route to inform passersby of what is happening, and
WHEREAS, The Applicant has indicated that no unauthorized use of digital photography or video of Event participants for the purpose of social media will be used, without express consent, written or otherwise during the Event; and
WHEREAS, A focal point of the Event will be in front of the Saks Fifth Avenue store, where there will be Mrs. Maisel costume displays in the store’s front windows with staff dressed in period costumes along with short musical and dance numbers performed on the sidewalk, and giveaways and sampling of branded items, as well as displays within the store; and
WHEREAS, There will be musical and dance numbers of a three minute duration in front of Saks Fifth Avenue as well as a four antique cars parked in front of the store as part of the exhibition; and
WHEREAS, The dance performances will take place roughly on the hour running from 12PM thru 6 PM, with the Event ending at 7PM; and
WHEREAS, Amplified sound in the form of small speakers on stands adjacent to the Sacks Fifth Avenue entrance will be deployed where the dance numbers will take place, and for a potential Mayoral press conference, with the speakers sound levels set to allow it to carry only to the area within a short distance of the Saks entrance and performance area encompassing the sidewalk in front of the store, and
WHEREAS, the Event will have a setup starting at 10 PM on Thursday, April 13th, with completion by 7 AM on Friday, April 14th, at which time the Event will begin; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant agreed to maintain sanitation and cleanup crews suitable to an event; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant agreed to provide sufficient ADA access along entire footprint of the Event, and agreed to work with the NYPD to develop an appropriate security plan; and
WHEREAS, Both the Applicant and representatives from the Street Activities Permit Office (“SAPO”) present at the heading stated that the Event would lead to substantial additional commercial pedestrian traffic is expected to help merchants along Fifth Avenue, and
WHEREAS, Representatives from SAPO noted that insurance would be the responsibility of the Applicant and not merchants along Fifth Avenue; and
WHEREAS, In response to concerns by members of CB5 about the appropriateness of this Event in this neighborhood, representatives from SAPO noted that this was a specific instance where the neighborhood was particularly relevant to an event, and in the future, the relevance of a neighborhood would be a factor for the permitting process; and.
WHEREAS, Community Board Five did receive feedback from the Fifth Avenue Partnership BID expressing serious concerns to the Event based on footprint, full day duration, liability concerns and use of public sidewalks for a commercial event, and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five did echo many of those concerns, and expressed concerns over any precedent set by having such a large-scale commercial event in along a route of 10 city blocks with questionable public benefit and noted that approval of this Event should not be taken as precedent over Community Board Five approval over future similar events; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five expressed skepticism that the Event needed to be over 10 city blocks and did request that the Applicant consider reducing the footprint of the Event; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five called on SAPO to review similar applications in the future with a high level of scrutiny and to ensure any application must have a material nexus to the neighborhood for any consideration; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five weighed these aforementioned concerns with positive elements in promoting commerce in a post-pandemic period, entertainment and leisure for city residents and visitors, and a positive in terms of promoting the City’s reputation as a commercial venue, and that the Event was limited to one Friday; and therefore, it is
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the Application for the Event by SWP, for “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5 Launch Event”, a promotional event to be staged along 5th Avenue ranging from 46th Street to 56th Street on April 14th, 2023.