At least for now....
The word came today on the Town & Village blog.
"A rep for CWCapital, who’d been scheduled to request a wine and beer license for Oval Café on Thursday, pulled that request today."
The reason given?
"...that application was scrapped due to a timing issue by that representative, Spencer Rothchild of Barrio Foods consulting firm, said Sandro Sherrod, the chair of CB6."
A timing issue? What the hell does that mean? Could it possibly mean that CWCapital and Barrio Foods were not able to go before the Community Board without the intrusion of outraged tenants who had been just alerted to the plan this week on the TA Facebook a few days before a crucial hearing to attain the license? Do CWCapital and Barrio now need more time to present a coherent and lengthier argument to push this plan through? Do they need allies?
"A spokesperson for CWCapital said the application was pulled pending consultation with community leaders."
The above seems to indicate, yes, the application was pulled because tenants found out about it and an immediate uproar was created.
Now what? A "consultation" means that CWCapital and Barrio are going to try to convince the TA and our councilman, Dan Garodnick (who seems to be against the idea of Oval Cafe selling alcohol) that the presence of alcohol in the Oval will not be a detriment to the community and will be responsibly dealt with by the cafe and management.
So this is not over yet. But certainly today's pull-back is a good result. Yet we must be vigilant. I just don't trust the Powers That Be.
I wonder if local bar owners had anything to do with this decision to withdraw? Maybe CW had been warned that legs can get broken, etc.?
ReplyDeletePerhaps very relevant: Sandro Sherrod, the chair of our Community Board 6, is one of Board of Directors of the TA. Garodnick states that he found out about the plan from CB6, and that's how, I assume, Marsh found out about it, too. So if not for CB6, we possibly would not have known about Thurday's important meeting until after the fact. A fast one being pulled by CW?
ReplyDeleteBTW, I don't go by the Oval Cafe that much, but doesn't a request for a liquor license have to posted in the establishment that wants it? Did anyone see such a sign?
Sherrod being a TA Board of Director would possibly explain why the TA, as an entity, did not take a stand against the alcohol license for Oval Cafe, as that might be considered a conflict of interest.
ReplyDeleteSTR if that is so as you say at 10:31 then the TA should not have members in positions that would render them paralyzed to act on the mission and purpose of a Tenant Association. They should not have members be in positions like on CB6 if a conflict of interest would cause the TA not to protect tenants interests. They should either step down off the TA Board or CB6 so they can do their job completely for whichever they chose.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am pleased Garodnick took the right side for once, the side of protecting tenants and the property; I am bothered when he said
ReplyDelete"He added that he was annoyed about having to find out about the plan not from CW but from CB6."
That means CW usually, normally does tell Garodnick of their plans before they carry them out (which we already knew). I am surprised he admitted it.
Since Oval Concierge took over the management of our Community Center it is a disaster! specially on week ends.
ReplyDeleteYes STR. A request has to be posted. No one playing by the rules here. Balls. balls.
ReplyDeleteJust a note that Dan Garodnick's mother passed away a week ago, so I'm stifling any negative commentary or puns directed at the councilman for a couple of weeks, and offer him and his family condolences.
ReplyDelete6:38 if Compass rock had any balls they would have posted the signs and debated their pov. It doesn't take balls to break the rules. It takes balls to play by the rules and win.
ReplyDeleteDiminutive balls and character CW Compass Rock was unsuccessful on hiding their malicious intent on this community in this instance.
Thanks for exposing them STR.
This is just another example of the CW Capitol management way, remember the late day Friday notices addressing concerns, only to be rescinded by the oncoming Monday.
ReplyDeleteHow they can charge going rate commercial rent for the sad sack cafe is beyond me.
I am glad to see they put the PS driveway on the agenda
Oval concierge is run by Abigail Michaels
ReplyDeletehttp://www.abigailmichaels.com/
A good concierge service does their job - to understand and deliver what you, the community wants.
Sounds like they aren't delivering what the community wants but rather are telling the community what they should want.
Contact them with specific instances and keep a record copy of your contacts to them. If you don't tell them they aren't doing their job they might not know or worse, they might continue to do whatever Compass Rock tells them to do.
Abigail Michaels needs to be reminded who their client is and what their service is.
"A complex built for veterans and the middle class but which now caters to mom-zombs that want to get crocked while their kids are in the playground...and NYU Bros."
ReplyDeleteBarrio Foods vision is to open full service Mexican restaurants. We should be careful not to let this illegally exploited loophole go from resident-their guests cafe TO liquor license beer-wine-sangria TO full service Alex Garcia Spencer Rothschild restaurant venture in what is turning into the Oval Strip Mall experience.
ReplyDeleteEvery precaution must be taken now to protect the Oval family quiet space.
Agree with an earlier post - they devised a plan to first win over permission from moms and parents by pretending to offer children / family recreation in commercial endeavors in the Oval so they could construct their buildings. Then turn those buildings into non-family friendly commercial endeavors for profits. CW deliberately used us parents to diminish resistance to the Oval commercialization, by scamming us parents/moms. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteTommyboyardee the vehicle traffic and driveways were put on the city agenda last summer when tenants fought to have the management offices and security offices near a garage as was the MetLife design; to keep separate the pedestrian walkways from the vehicle ways.
ReplyDeleteDid you get the flyers tenants circulated last year? They said MetLife understood safety on that because they are an insurance company so safety factors into their profitability. They always made sure their architects designed everything with that in mind.
The city knows the DOB created a dangerous situation permitting building the Security Office with the vehicular traffic from security personnel rushing to response in the middle of the pedestrian Oval.
Its a reckless and dangerous plan they approved and they are partially responsible for whatever comes.
Building the Security office in the middle of the Oval was a very Big mistake.
What Used To Be
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nysun.com/real-estate/surprise-lurks-at-stuyvesant-town-luxury-rentals/35516/
Urban planning and architecture students from around the world who make the requisite pilgrimage to Lower Manhattan to study MetLife's acclaimed moderate-income developments - Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town - are in for a surprise these days
The landscaping included so many types of trees and flowers that at least 96 species of birds migrate through. Or, as the "AIA Guide to New York City" notes, the decades-old trees "now soften the early brutality
A sign that hangs over the management office on Avenue C now announces the availability of luxury rentals. The legendary waiting list of thousands of households has been shredded.
The 1947 plaque proclaiming "the vision" by which "families of moderate means might live in health, comfort, and dignity in park like communities" has been taken down, though by whom is an open question.
Urban planning and architect students from around the world no longer have reason to make the requisite pilgrimage. Nothing remarkable to see here but the destruction of what was once remarkable and revered.
I think Mr. Sherrod could have handled any conflict issue by recusing himself from the any discussion or vote on the issue by the TA Board.
ReplyDeleteI think that the TA Board simply does not want to take a stand on issues like this that may have some tenants supporting and with others opposed.
ReplyDeletefirst ave loop construction a mess!
went to see what is going on.
enormous solid brick building (more than just a foundation) that is surrounded by toxic soil unearthed on first ave loop site. black soot coming in tenant's apartments.
When will these numbnuts realize that they are not running a cruise ship? They are running (very badly) a multi-unit residential apartment complex which was purpose-built for families. We don't want their fucking bars, cafes, crappy, tenth-rate circus acts and disastrous attempts to "entertain" us. We just want them to keep the lights and the heat on (keeping the heat on would be a novel idea during this biting cold weather) and run a broom around the buildings more than once every six months. Is that asking too much? We would also like them to do some ongoing repairs, as per what they are paid to do, and cut out the massive MCIs for phantom shit. A few functioning washing machines would also be nice.
ReplyDeleteWe have community leaders? Really? Please direct me towards them so I can thank them personally for allowing Stuy Town to crumble into a dormatory wasteland where the wooo and hooo sirens blare on a nightly basis.
ReplyDeleteCan you provide the e-mail address of Community Board 6 on the blog so that it's easy for people to send email to them about the Oval Cafe selling liquor? It's office@cbsix.org.
ReplyDeleteI sent them an e-mail earlier today.
Thanks!
Whether or not Oval Cafe gets a liquor license is ultimately up to the State liquor Authority, not Dan G, not the TA. Community Board 6 will hold hearings and make recommendations, so it's important that people attend the hearings and make noise. However, anyone familiar with what's been going on in the EV and LES knows that the SLA works in mysterious ways.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course Garodnock and CWC are in contact and of course he expects to be notified about, not blindsided by shit like this. Tenants are gonna appeal to him about certain issues, and so will CWC. It makes no sense to intentionally piss the guy off over something like this if you're CWC. I'm not sure I totally get why they'd pull a stunt like leaving Garodnick out of the loop and trying to bumrush this thing through. Whether it was stupidity or a gamble, it blew up. And once again it shows that it's good to have friends in high places. People around here seem to lose sight of that fact.
Everyone commenting here should write to CB6 as well. When the application comes up again--and it will--there should be a gigantic file of objections.
ReplyDeleteAnony 11.43. Thank you for your awaking.
ReplyDelete“Welcome back to the fight. This time I know our side will win.”
Gotta say I think it's funny how even in a situation in which Garodnick seems to be in total agreement with this site, there are still some snide remarks in the comments, or obnoxious remarks that you're only holding back because of his family situation. You should be praising him for coming out against it. The guy can't win with you jokers.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad a forum like this exists so we can talk about CWC's crazy plans for us, but wish some of the commenters had a little more perspective.
>>You should be praising him for coming out against it. The guy can't win with you jokers.<<
ReplyDeleteRespecting his recent loss, I will point out that I'm not that secure in trusting the councilman's statements. We can go back to when Dan made very strong statements about the presence of the Farmers Market on the Oval, and seemed to say all the right things (remember? he was going to work with management to move the Market to a more zoning-appropriate location), but then he folded, so quickly that residents who cared about the situation and the prospect of the further commercialization of the Oval were left befuddled and on their own. Since those days, we have indeed seen the expansion of commercial entities on the Oval--and its destruction, as a matter of fact.
So my trust in our councilman and in him keeping a steady course is not that great. And there are also his connections with real estate, which have been well documented here.
I'm sure he's a nice guy and moderately capable. But that's not what is needed when affordable housing is progressively disappearing in PCVST and this complex is being run by an incompetent landlord.
I'm still confused as to why DHCR doesn't approve or disapprove the claimed upgrades resulting in apartments being at 3500 and more per month!
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I saw people collecting signatures for getting Carolyn Maloney on the ballot. I refused to sign and explained that after she came around here campaigning for Christine Quinn, I couldn't respect her. Personally, I think that old lady hack should retire.
ReplyDeleteThis mistake is yours alone if you trust someone who has a history of betrayal and relationships with adversaries no matter how they try to change their spots.
ReplyDeleteIs anyone listening? It's time to organize!
ReplyDeleteSpot on about Danny G STR, spot on!
ReplyDeleteNot to be racist, but I'm sure my company Bodega Bars should have received bid approval? I mean Barrio is most certainly West Coast
ReplyDeleteBarrio started in Miami. The company is about food services, not food. http://barriofoods.com/
ReplyDeleteSo more carpetbaggers!
ReplyDelete