The SLA is looking out for small businesses! (/end sarcasm)

From the NY Post:

The SLA on Wednesday adopted new rules that will require New York restaurants with a liquor license to add up all the fees a delivery company charges them each year to ensure the they don’t exceed 10 percent of the restaurant’s annual revenue.

If the fees exceed 10 percent of the restaurant’s annual revenues, the delivery company will need to be added to the restaurant’s liquor license.

The issue came to a head in 2019 when the regulatory agency held hearings on food delivery app fees that ranged from 15 percent to 30 percent of each order, raising questions about whether these companies are violating the SLA’s rules.

Many restaurateurs expected the agency to resolve the issue by capping fees at 10 percent of each order, akin to the exception made for landlords. Alternatively, the SLA might have ordered food delivery apps to adapt a flat fee for NY restaurants with a liquor license.

Neither the delivery companies or the restaurants are happy now.

Maspeth bar shut down for prostitution, drugs, gambling & counterfeit cigarettes

From NBC:

A Queens bar had its liquor license suspended after authorities allegedly uncovered prostitution, narcotics, illicit gambling and untaxed cigarettes.

The New York State Liquor Authority issued the emergency suspension of Huang Jia Inc in Maspeth Wednesday effective immediately, which prohibits alcohol to be sold or consumed on the premises.

According to the State Liquor Authority, SLA investigators and officers with the New York City Police Department’s Citywide Vice-Enforcement Division executed a search warrant of the bar on April 12. During the search warrant, investigators allegedly discovered 97 packs of counterfeit or untaxed cigarettes, jars and bags filled with the narcotic ketamine, records related to the sale of prostitution and illegal gambling devices.

The NYPD made nine arrests, including the bar’s owner, for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Additionally, a number of hazardous conditions were observed, including overcrowding, blocked exits and non-working emergency lighting, the State Liquor Authority says.

On April 14, the NYPD and SLA conducted a follow up inspection, making six arrests after allegedly discovering patrons with ketamine in three separate karaoke rooms inside the bar and finding patrons consuming alcohol after closing hours.

On April 16, the SLA charged the establishment with 22 violations of the ABC Law, including disorderly premises for permitting prostitution, gambling, trafficking of controlled substances, failure to supervise and for becoming a focal point for police attention.

Between March 15th and April 12th, the NYPD conducted three undercover operations where detectives posing as customers allegedly purchased narcotics, prostitution and gambling — all which formed the basis for the April 12 raid, officials say.

According to the NYPD, there was an alleged a pattern of criminal activity in and around the premises months prior to these incidents.

Ozone Park strip club loses liquor license

From the Queens Chronicle:

The liquor license for the TrapHouse Gentleman’s Club in Ozone Park, an establishment that has been the source of many complaints from neighboring residents, was revoked by the State Liquor Authority at the body’s Nov. 8 meeting.

“We’re at a stage where the chances have run out,” said SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley at the meeting. “[The owner] had multiple chances to clean up his act ... we now have people in jeopardy of getting hurt.”

The sustained charges against the club, located at 78-16 Atlantic Ave., include having unlicensed security guards, violation of unspecified local regulations, being a “focal point for police attention” and there being a “sustained pattern of noise/disorder” coming from the establishment.

Mark Weinstein, the attorney for the business, asked the SLA to levy a smaller penalty — such as a suspension of the liquor license, rather than it being revoked.
Bradley responded that a suspension, or any other form of punishment, might come with a hefty fine.

“I don’t think you want to write the check I’m going to ask you to write,” the SLA chairman said. “Every other charge that’s nonviolent in nature has been committed one time previously, and sometimes twice ... I have revoked people for way less than this.”

Can the Crapper call them or what?

Remember this silliness from 3 years ago? An arts center who is catering to the disabled but wants a liquor license...

lol when did trans pecos lose their liquor license/did they have it in the first place

— Billy Gomberg (@billygomberg) March 1, 2017

Ah, Billy, their liquor license has been rescinded. Word on the street is that they got into some big trouble and now owe SLA thousands of dollars. And one of the co-owners is in really hot water over what he did over at the Market Hotel. Surprise, surprise! I wonder when the follow up "news" articles will come out?

Nightlife noise complaints are way up

From AM-NY:

City nightlife is bringing the noise — and the headaches, according to a report released last week.

An audit by the state comptroller’s office found the number of 311 noise complaints related to bars, clubs and other nightlife establishments soared from 38,000 in 2010, to more than 93,000 in 2015.
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli called on the state Liquor Authority to take action against repeat violators.

“Establishments with hundreds of complaints lodged against them faced little or no repercussions. For the sake of city residents, more action must be taken to address noisy clubs and bars,” he said.
The report showed 277 businesses each received 100 or more complaints.

DiNapoli said the state doesn’t access 311 data readily and can’t adequately assess the complaints. He recommended the state Liquor Authority design and formalize a process to go over the data themselves.

Fighting crime on Roosevelt Avenue is a long, hard slog

From DNA Info:

An ongoing effort to tackle crime and quality-of-life issues along Roosevelt Avenue in Corona and Jackson Heights should expand west to target problem bars and clubs in Woodside, lawmakers said Monday — likening the street at night to "old Times Square."

Elected officials called on city and state agencies to pour more resources into monitoring "bad actor" businesses along the corridor: bars that operate without proper licenses and attract drug use, prostitution and other problems, they said.

"Roosevelt Avenue is a vibrant avenue during the day," said state Sen. Jose Peralta, who's been pushing for several years to clean up the street, including a request to have NYPD lines redrawn so the avenue was united under one precinct.

"What happens at night is that it turns into something completely different," he said. "It's turned into the old Times Square, where you have prostitution, where you have $2 dance bars, where you have drugs, where you have fake IDs, and that needs to end."

While the stretch of Roosevelt Avenue located within Peralta's district has garnered much of the negative attention in recent years — including in Jackson Heights, identified as a problem spot for sex trafficking — its issues extend into Woodside too, officials said.

"Unfortunately, it's no different on this part of Roosevelt Avenue, a little bit further west," state Sen. Michael Gianaris said at a press conference on 65th Street Tuesday.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The lawmakers say their focus is on getting the State Liquor Authority and the city's Department of Consumer Affairs to better enforce licensing rules, saying many bars on the avenue operate as dance clubs without the cabaret license that allows them to do so.

Peralta introduced legislation this summer that would increase fines for clubs that violate cabaret rules, and would temporarily suspend the licenses of bars found to be operating illegally.

Sunnyside strip club shut down

From Sunnyside Post:

Secrets, the crime-plagued strip joint located at 49-19 Queens Boulevard, was shut down by the police earlier this month and the chances of it reopening are uncertain.

The police closed the club on September 9 following a series of violations, such as the sale of narcotics inside the establishment, a robbery near the premises, failure to comply with state liquor authority rules and not providing its employees with workers compensation.

The club was also in the news last November after a murder took place outside the premises following a dispute between club goers.

Deputy Inspector John Travaglia, commanding officer of the 108 Precinct, said at a Woodside community meeting Thursday that there is a 50-50 chance that the premises will not reopen.

Travaglia said the precinct is currently working to impose conditions on the premises—such as limiting its hours of operation and requiring security changes—before permitting it to reopen.

The new conditions would need to be approved by a Queens County Supreme Court judge.

Ridgewood beach gets benched

This must be the all time record for a rejection at the SLA. Go to this page, scroll down about 15 entries and look for #113 Rockaway Beach Brewing Company.

No C of O = No permit. NEXT!

Once decent newspaper advertises hipster beach that didn't open

This is just sooo pathetic. And so not surprising considering the current ownership of the Times Newsweekly.

Here's something from the Queens Tribune that Schneps & company neglected to mention:

Bill Crowley, SLA spokesman, said they received petitions and the letter from Nolan. He noted that under different circumstances the SLA’s staff would approve the liquor license but since they have opposition, it will have to go before the SLA board.

Crowley said they recently sent the Rockaway Brewery Company a deficiency letter because they have yet to get state approval for doing business as LaPlaya NYC and not sending in photos of the interior of the proposed business.

Hipster beer beach shut down by DOB

It's really gotta suck to be one of these "urban pioneers" and find out the hard way that the shit you're peddling ain't going over with certain community minded folk. Let's take the Ridgewood beer beach. It got shut down by the DOB just before tomorrow's scheduled grand opening. Why? Well they are doing construction on a building without a permit.

The C of O for this property also does not allow a "beer beach" or whatever the hell this thing is supposed to be.

But you wanna know what's really amusing about this? They are trying to pass off their delayed opening as a concession to the community. From QNS:

Marcus Burnett, co-owner of Rockaway Brewing Company, which is hosting La Playa NYC, is working to address the community’s issues with the beer garden.

“We are trying to work with Community Board 5 and we understand that residents are raising concerns,” Burnett said. “One common misconception is that there is going to be live bands or live music. There will be no live bands and no DJ parties, that’s for sure.”

No live music or DJs? Then please explain this previous statement:

Throughout the summer La Playa NYC will also feature local talent including DJs, guest chefs, beer talks and special performances, ensuring a summer of beach, beer and fun for the whole community.

Here's the cherry on top of this shit sundae:

The opening of La Playa NYC depends on the results of the SLA hearing, which is scheduled to take place later this month.

So you were going to open without a liquor permit, but as a favor to the community, decided to wait until you actually had the SLA hearing? How wonderful of you.

Rumba to lose liquor license

From the Queens Chronicle:

Rego Park residents have cause to celebrate this week, as the State Liquor Authority has begun the process of canceling the Rumba nightclub's liquor license.

According to Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills), the attorney for the 67-63 Woodhaven Blvd. venue offered the cancellation of the license in an "attempt to avoid the stigma" of having it revoked by the agency and the legal ramifications that follow.

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 27 of 2015, 90 complaints were filed against Rumba, 50 for illegal parking alone, according to Deputy Inspector Judith Harrison, the commanding officer of the 112th Precinct.
On Dec. 18, a multiagency operation was conducted at the venue, resulting in 40 SLA violations, five Department of Health violations and two FDNY violations.

Rego Park's Rumba raided

From QNS.com:

Last weekend, a multi-agency operation that included the NYPD, FDNY, Department of Health and the State Liquor Authority (SLA) paid a visit to Rumba Night Club in Rego Park and cited the club for 40 violations.

Those violations include unauthorized alterations to the bar, safety violations including a failure to maintain fire extinguishers, an obstructed exit, exposed electrical wiring; a number of health code violations including no food protection certificate holder and mildew in the ice machine.

The FDNY found that the club has no public assembly permit and no explosives permit even though four cases of fireworks were found. Other violations include the use of unapproved trade names, failing to conform to application ― the club falsely indicated that its legal occupancy is 202 when the actual number is 74 ― and a slew of other violations.

Knockdown Center gets limited liquor license

From the Queens Chronicle:

After nearly two years of taking body blows from the community, the Knockdown Center finally landed a counterpunch.

The State Liquor Authority approved a liquor license for the controversial arts and entertainment venue at 52-19 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth, but with multiple conditions and stipulations.

The maximum capacity of the Knockdown Center must be reduced from 3,100 to 1,800, and only 12 full-capacity events can be held over the course of a year, down from 18 originally proposed.

Venue owner David Sklar tried to persuade SLA commissioners Kevin Kim and Jeanique Greene to allow for a maximum capacity of 2,000 before being talked down to 1,800 by Greene.

Events with 1,000 or more attendees must only take place on Friday or Saturday nights and must be done by 2 a.m. All gatherings occurring between Sunday and Thursday must have fewer than 1,000 people and end by midnight.

Other stipulations include one security guard per every 75 guests and one additional 30-seat shuttle bus running constantly between the venue and the Jefferson Street L train station three-quarters of a mile away per every 500 attendees.

The list of over a dozen stipulations put forth in April by the Juniper Park Civic Association, Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together and Citizens for a Better Maspeth were also conditions added by the SLA.

The word on the street is that they (actually an unnamed associate) hired Al D'Amato's lobbying firm to help them get their license.

Queens Council on the Arts now lobbying for liquor licenses

From the Queens Ledger:

The Knockdown Center continued its years-long fight to secure a liquor license at the Community Board 5 meeting last Wednesday, during which affiliates, employees and the owner of the center all took to the microphone and handed out pamphlets advocating for the board to reconsider their vote last year to deny the license.

The move comes after the center’s recertification hearing last month with the State Liquor Authority, during which a vote on the license was postponed until the SLA’s June 2nd session. The SLA had previously denied the center’s initial application in May of 2014.

A handful of other community members attended the meeting to make the case for the center, however a board rule limiting the number of people who can advocate for a certain issue during a public forum to three precluded many from speaking.

In a letter she was unable to read aloud but passed on to this newspaper, Lynn Lobell, Grants and Resource Director for Queens Council on the Arts, said her organization was a strong supporter of the center.

“Local artists value Knockdown Center as an important arts resource,” the letter read. “QCA supports the Knockdown Center because they are committed to be a positive force in the community.”

Pardon me, but why in hell is the grants director for a tax exempt not-for-profit arts organization such as QCA lobbying a community board for a liquor license?

Kids booze it up all over

From NBC 4:

Underage drinkers can easily buy booze in New York City, according to the findings of an undercover investigation into liquor sales at grocery stores, pharmacies and other retail outlets.

Underage decoys were able to buy alcoholic beverages in more than half of the 911 stores sampled during the six-month probe last year, officials with the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Sunday.

The outlets that sold alcohol to the decoys represent about 10 percent of all the stores with liquor licenses in the five boroughs.

Retailers charged with underage sales of alcohol face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, with fines starting at $2,500 for a first offense, according to the authority. Repeat offenders could lose their licenses.

The city health department intends to send letters to all stores in the city licensed to sell beer, wine or liquor requesting that they help reduce underage drinking by checking customer IDs.

Liquor license expedited for Council party

From the NY Post:

They pulled the strings so the bartenders could pull the taps.

The City Council booked its holiday party at a swanky new bar that still needed a liquor license — so they just called in a favor for a rush permit to get the beer flowing, sources told The Post.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito agreed to have Wednesday night’s party at Barleycorn Craft Bar & Grill, which is owned by the pal of top staffer Steve Feder.

But after the invitations had already gone out, the council learned that the Park Place watering hole was still awaiting a license from the State Liquor Authority, the sources said.

That’s when they turned to First Deputy Chief of Staff Ramon Martinez, who is known as “the fixer” for his ability to solve problems. Feder asked Martinez at a senior leadership meeting to pressure the SLA — and state officials gave the bar its license just hours before the party started.

An SLA spokesman denied doing any favors for the council and said it simply issued a permit that was applied for in April.

Queens hipsters continue to behave badly

Word has come in that a concert held on Veterans Day at the Knockdown Center resulted in a really long 8 hour line, no potties for the revelers, lots of public urination, trespassing and littering and the parking was a disaster. Here's footage of one of the attendees who got caught with her pants down:

Oh and remember "TransPecos" which was supposedly applying for a liquor license so they could pay for an A/C for mentally challenged students that they invite to play there during the day? They sailed past CB5 but then messed up big time and their liquor license was denied by SLA. Why? Word is that they stupidly posted a "BYOB" sign in their window and got raided by the NYPD and liquor was found. Whoopsie! Now they're calling electeds like mad in an attempt to try to fix their boo-boo.

Want proof? Above is a screenshot of SLA's map of current and pending liquor licenses. You'll notice the absence of a colored dot on Wyckoff between Hancock and Weirfield Streets. That means the application was 86'ed.

As a good friend stated when this was brought to her attention, "Welcome to the generation of geniuses who will be paying our social security kiddo. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid."

Indeed.

I also thought I would point once more out that Council Member Crowley supports both of these venues... and one of them isn't even in her district.

SLA denies liquor license for Knockdown Center

From the Queens Chronicle:

The sparring match between the Knockdown Center and the community over the arts and entertainment venue's liquor license application is over, for now, with the opposed residents and elected officials winning by way of knockout.

The State Liquor Authority denied the liquor license application of the Knockdown Center, the controversial former factory at 52-19 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth, on Tuesday afternoon, with the overwhelming community opposition to the venue cited as the main reason for denial.

"We have gotten strong community opposition from all corners," SLA chairman Dennis Rosen said. "As far as we know, they did not change their position."

Rosen also expressed uneasiness about the lack of late-night public transportation in the area around the Knockdown Center and the nearly one-mile walk to the closest L subway line stop as secondary reasons for the denial.

In addition, a May 8th M.I.A. concert has been cancelled. I suppose not enough people want to see a show on a Thursday night in Maspeth that they can see on Saturday night in Manhattan. Duh.

Knockown Center hosts porn event [NSFW]

It was a very interesting Friday night in Maspeth last week...

Here we are at the Knockdown Center. Approaching the venue, it looks innocent enough.

Nice sized crowd. This looks like it may be one of those wholesome educational activities that Maspeth has been promised by the guy that owns this place.

Oh, wait, no... "Hedonists". That word popped up a lot in online references to this event.

And there we are. The original photo was NOT blurred.

It's funny how Dizzy Lizzy Crowley never mentioned "porn" while lobbying for this place to get a liquor license.

As per Crowley and the folks that run the place, we were supposed to be getting an "arts center" along the lines of PS1 and MoMA. When are these types of events scheduled at those institutions? I keep missing them.

Originally, I figured the mention of BJs in the bathroom referred to something depicted in the slideshow.

But then I discovered that this place only has one built bathroom. So who knows what goes on inside it?

Ladies, would you feel comfortable sharing this space with young men drinking alcohol?


Aaaand this photo brings up an interesting question. Since the place is still under construction, it needs a temporary place of assembly permit to host large crowds of people. So which pencil pusher at DOB thought it was okay to allow them to keep gigantic boulders in the aisles, blocking the paths of egress?

And they plan to have the boulders sitting there during next week's rap concerts, which are expected to draw 5x the number of attendees. From Bushwick Daily:

Upcoming art shows include “Sound and Fury,” an exhibition of large scale sculpture works by Joel Shapiro, Richard Nonas and more, curated by Clocktower Gallery...The show will be up and running during the MIA show, allowing for a very unique opportunity for concert and rave goers to interact with fine art sculptures.

Interact? How about break their necks? And management swore up and down to CB5 that they would never have a "rave" event at the Knockdown Center. So much for that.

From the Queens Chronicle:

Meanwhile, the temporary liquor permits the center sought for the two concerts to be played by popular Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A., scheduled for May 8 and 9, were denied by the SLA.

Thank goodness for small favors!

After nearly 30 minutes of testimony and questioning, the State Liquor Authority decided to give the operators of the Knockdown Center, the controversial arts and events venue at 52-19 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth, until the close of business on April 29 to submit additional paperwork concerning security at large events.

The facility is also seeking a permit to host up to 5,000 people at a time.

A vote on the center’s liquor license application will occur at the agency’s next board meeting, on May 6.

Terrence Flynn, the attorney representing the Knockdown Center at the hearing, asked for an adjournment from the board to allow more time for the center’s owners to formulate a comprehensive security report and to allow for a meeting with the 104th Precinct.

“I would ask to leave the record open for two weeks to provide a complete security report and to have a meeting with the precinct,” Flynn said. “If we can control the numbers of people that at these events, then we can satisfy the community’s and precinct’s concerns.”

Area civic activist Christina Wilkinson testified that young children are believed to be living at the center illegally, an allegation which Flynn denied.

“I know of no children occupying this building at all,” he said.

Records reveal that complaints about illegal occupancy have been lodged since 2011, but the owner has not responded to requests for inspection.

And this place has been hosting events since 2012 and just decided to come up with a comprehensive security plan? And everyone is supposed to be okay with that, I suppose.

God help us all.

Judge orders SLA to issue liquor license to LIC strip club

From the Daily News:

The owners of a controversial Long Island City strip club could be one step closer to getting a long-coveted liquor license.

But civic leaders pledged this week to continue their fight against Show Palace, the glitzy, all-nude eatery that cropped up in the shadow of the Queensboro Bridge.

Last month, a Supreme Court judge rejected the State Liquor Authority’s decision to deny a license to 21 Group Inc., the owners of Show Palace.

Local lawmakers and others argued a strip club conflicted with the neighborhood’s new, family friendly rebirth.

However, Judge Manuel Mendez said the reasons outlined by the State Liquor Authority in its 2012 decision were not enough to justify its rejection.

“The denial of an application for a liquor license cannot be based solely on community reaction and the views or recommendations of elected officials,” Mendez said in a decision handed down last month.
Mendez also said the SLA had not proven its concerns that other so-called unvetted straw owners could have pumped money into the club.

Patrick O’Brien, chairman of Community Board 2’s City Services and Public Safety Committee, said he was told the SLA will appeal the judge’s decision.