A swanky Upper East Side art gallery is lobbying the city for permits that could turn it into a hotspot that would put Studio 54 to shame.
The Frick Collection has filed an application to open 17 new bars and hold events that could last until 4 a.m., a proposal that angry neighbors say will transform the 88-year-old facility near Central Park on East 70th Street into a modern “high-rise.” “. -Class party space.”
Frick’s liquor license application obtained by The Post even says that its 14 floors (possibly even some conservation areas of the former estate of American industrialist Henry Clay Frick) will be open for all-night events with no capacity limits.
And while the gallery says they don’t actually plan to open that many bars in their nearly 200,000-square-foot building, concerned nearby residents aren’t so sure and want the proposal to be radically toned down.
“There is no museum in New York City that hosts parties until 2 a.m.,” a source at Manhattan Community Board 8 told The Post.
“And the idea that they would want to turn The Frick into a catering hall with events happening at all hours is crazy.”
Frick Collection has filed a liquor license application that calls for up to 17 bars across its 14 floors. fake images
Members of the East 70th Street Block Association have written to the Community Board asking it to make the art gallery agree to a series of stipulations, including opening only five liquor bars at a time, implementing a 400-person capacity for collection areas as well as a 9 pm event time.
Until they can reach an agreement, the East 70th Street Block Association says the museum should reject or withdraw The Frick’s liquor application.
“It is difficult to imagine how many attendees would justify 17 liquor-serving bars with 204 linear feet of bartenders,” East 70th Street Block Association attorney and former Upper East Side City Councilman Ben Kallos said in the letter obtained by the post.
“The Block Association was shocked,” he added.
The Upper East Side art museum is undergoing a $160 million renovation and expansion project. Selldorf Architects
The letter went on to say that the community group “supports the educational mission of The Frick Collection and the need for The Frick Collection to expand space dedicated to educational activities.”
“However, the Block Association representing the residential community opposes turning The Frick Collection into a high-class party space.”
But representatives for The Frick have so far insisted that nothing about its operations would change under the proposal when it reopens after its $160 million renovation and expansion project is completed late next year.
“The Frick will program its spaces as it has previously, focusing on art,” a museum spokesperson told The Post.
According to its liquor license application, all 14 floors of the museum could be used as event spaces. Selldorf Architects A museum spokesperson insisted that The Frick will continue to use its space primarily for its art collections. Selldorf Architects
“Once the renovation and improvement project is complete, the Frick will have a small restaurant on the second floor of its reception hall. The app is structured to fit the restaurant and events at the Frick, aligned with our past and current operations.
“We continue to have clarifying conversations with our neighbors about these plans.”
Lawyer Jonathan Bing also stated that the “primary purpose of this application” is a new restaurant on the site.
“There will be a limited number of events in the building, as there always have been, probably since 1934,” Bing, a former state assemblyman, told the Patch.
In fact, the application obtained by The Post does specify that it is for the site’s new restaurant.
However, it also says the proposed facilities will be located on all 14 floors of the museum and suggests alcohol service throughout the space for special events.
Jonathan Bing, an attorney representing the museum, said it will not hold any more or larger events than it has in recent years. fake images
Kallos, who was once Bing’s chief of staff, maintains that’s too much.
“If it was a 900-square-foot restaurant, we wouldn’t be here,” he told the Patch. “It’s for 11 stories in some places, 14 stories in others.”
Bing said Kallos’ comments that he “wasn’t following the rules… hurt me personally.”
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn