This past week the New York State Liquor Authority approved a beer and wine license for the new Restoration Hardware gallery at 9 Ninth Avenue, where the former Pastis was located. The 70,000 square foot decorating showroom and furniture gallery will have a full service restaurant on the fifth floor as well as an outdoor rooftop showroom. Founded in 1979, RH has design stores in the U.S. and Canada. The new Ninth Avenue gallery and restaurant is expected to open in November 2017. Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be a part of the RH team.
Roxy Hotel named by Travel + Leisure one of Ten Best
Travel & Leisure just named the Roxy Hotel at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Church Street one of the “Top Fifteen City Hotels in the Continental United States.” (http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/city-hotels-in-us#intro) Originally opened as the Tribeca Grand to join its sister hotel The Soho Grand on West Broadway, the hotel was re-branded as the Roxy Hotel Tribeca in 2015. It evokes the 1920s movie theater and 90’s dance clubs and includes Paul’s Cocktail Lounge and Django jazz club. Good pick, Time + Leisure. Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be part of the Roxy Hotel and Soho Grand Hotel team.
Ian Schrager’s Public Hotel Opens
Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be a part of the team opening the new Ian Schrager Public Hotel at 215 Chrystie Street on the Lower East Side. Designed by Herzog & deMeuron, the hotel has 367 rooms and occupies most of the 28 story structure. Jean-Georges Vongerichten will be running two restaurants in the hotel. There will be three bars including outdoor space on the 16th and 17th floors, and a Public Arts multi-purpose space in two lower levels that has been dubbed Manhattan’s answer to BAM.
Soho House Brings Cecconi’s to DUMBO
New York’s first outpost of the international culinary hot spot Cecconi’s opened last week in DUMBO. Opened by Soho House founder Nick Jones, Cecconi’s is located on the ground floor of the Empire Stores warehouse at 55 Water Street near Brooklyn Bridge Park. The brand has restaurants in London since 1979, and subsequent locations in West Hollywood, Miami, Berlin and Barcelona. The 250 seat restaurant also has outdoor seating. Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be part of the Cecconi’s team.
TWA World Class Hotel at JFK
Martha Redo attended the groundbreaking ceremony of what will be the new TWA Hotel at JFK being developed by Bernstein Redo, P.C. client, MCR Development. Former TWA employees, elected officials, and Governor Cuomo attended the ceremony. The iconic 1962 landmarked terminal originally developed by Eero Saarinen will be restored to its Jet Age splendor, and will include 505 guest rooms, 50,000 square feet of conference, event and meeting space, and eight or more food and beverage outlets. Plans also include a 10,000 square foot observation deck, and an innovative museum showcasing New York as the birth of the Jet Age. Construction is well under way on this project.
Marlow Bistro Named One of Manhattan Hottest Restaurants
Eater NY just named recently opened Marlow Bistro as one of three “Hottest Restaurants in Manhattan” this month. Marlow Bistro, located at 1018 Amsterdam Avenue is owned by Marjanne Motamedi and Dragan Ristovski, who also own Cibo e Vino at 2418 Broadway, an Upper West Side gem. Marlow combines its Mediterranean roots with a European sensibility. Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be a part of the Marlow and Cibo team.
Cornell Tech’s Bloomberg Center
Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be working with Cornell University in licensing its newly developing academic campus on Roosevelt Island. Once fully built, Bloomberg Center at Cornell Tech will sit on twelve acres with 2 million square feet of LEED designed space and be one of the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient campuses in the world. Starr Catering, which operates food venues at Carnegie Hall, the Botanical Gardens, The Rubin Museum, and the New York Historical Society, will run the food and beverage operations at the Bloomberg Center.
Restaurant Law University
Last night Donald M. Bernstein participated as a panelist and speaker at Restaurant Law University held in White Plains, New York. Sponsored by The Westchester County Bar Association’s Hospitality Law Subcommittee of the Business & Commercial Law Committee and the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation’s Food & Beverage Alliance, the program started with a round table discussion of various issues and questions relating to franchising, the purchase and sale of a restaurant. The presentations included a section on retail liquor licensing, intellectual property rights relating to restaurants, leasing, and employment issues. The program was attended by lawyers, restaurant owners, and other professionals.
Mr. Bernstein is also a frequent lecturer at the National Law Institute in New York on the purchase and sale of a restaurant, and retail liquor licensing issues. Watch the NLI website (www.nationallawinstitute.com) for upcoming continuing legal education classes on these and other topics.
Chef’s Club Counter Opens On Lafayette Street
The owners of Chef’s Club, the famed Mulberry Street restaurant with an original outpost in Aspen, Colorado, have opened a new concept on the corner of Spring and Lafayette Street. Formerly Spring Natural, the space, which is named Chefs Club Counter, will be fast-casual, highlighting local and international chefs. Dishes in the 56 seat café include the famous “Eggslut” which is not to be missed, and is only available in New York at Chef’s Club Counter. Featured chefs will craft creative grab-and-go or grab-and-stay dishes, ready in short order. Each dish will be available for a short period of time only. Bernstein Redo, P.C. is proud to be a part of the Chef’s Club Counter team.
New York State Considers A Bill to Permit In-Theater Alcohol Service
New bills currently under committee review in both houses of the New York State legislature would permit the in-theater consumption of alcoholic beverages in New York State cinemas.
Although theaters can currently serve alcohol in licensed lobby areas, and under recent legislation in the theatre itself provided full meals are offered and the theatre fits within the definition of a “restaurant,” the proposed legislation would take it a step further.
The proposed bills (Assembly Bill A07188 and Senate Bill S05784) would amend the New York Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to allow theaters to serve alcohol if the following requirements are met: each patron would need to provide evidence that he or she is 21 or older, and is a ticketholder for a motion picture rated PG-13, R or NC-17. Additional restrictions in the drafted text intend to limit the hours of operation – permitting theaters to begin serving alcohol one hour prior to the start of the first motion picture and cease all sales after the final picture of the day – and to limit patron service to just a single beverage per transaction.
If passed as proposed, the legislation should not disturb the on-premises liquor licenses held by table-service theaters, or prevent theaters from continuing to obtain on-premises licenses for lobby areas where movies are not shown.