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On North Moore, Fears of a Bar Like Busters
Now the bar’s owner, Ross Provenzano, plans to open what his staff describes as “a neighborhood American–Continental bistro” in the ground floor commercial space of the Atalanta building, at 25 North Moore St., and the folks upstairs aren’t buying it. “They can dress it up as much as they want, but we really think they are going to be a bar,” said Allen Murabayashi, board president for the condominium. “I’m not in a position to really give them the benefit of the doubt.” Provenzano’s history in Tribeca is long and difficult. He ignited controversy last year when he tried to move Buster’s Garage around the corner, onto residential Leonard Street. Community Board 1 voted against the transfer of the liquor license, and the residents of 11 neighboring buildings united to oppose the license at a State Liquor Authority (SLA) hearing in December 2006. Finally, Provenzano rescinded his application before the SLA could rule on it. Provenzano’s people came before CB1 seeking liquor licenses for a succession of other new establishments, including 90 John St., 375 Broadway and 85 South St. All fell by the wayside, because of either landlord difficulties or opposition from CB1. In November, Provenzano’s team—under the name 200 Water Street LLC—again appeared before CB1’s Tribeca Committee, this time seeking approval for a liquor license at 25 North Moore. No residents appeared to voice their opposition, and the committee unanimously approved the application, as did the full board a week later. Murabayashi claims his building was not informed by CB1 that the matter was coming before the board. Michael Levine, the board’s director of land use and planning, said CB1 regularly sends out notification of upcoming agenda items. “We were totally unaware that no one in the building knew this was happening,” he said. The applicant promised to be a family restaurant, Levine added, “and we have to go by the word of the applicant.” Meanwhile, rumors are flying that the beer will flow Buster’s-style at the new place and the entertainment will include a 70-inch television. To these accusations, manager Rusty Schultz told the Trib, “Look, I’m 40 years old. I’m done with the frat boy crowd. And I wish we had the money for a 70-inch TV.” But the residents of 25 North Moore remain unconvinced. They recently wrote a letter to CB1, requesting that the board reconsider their resolution. (CB1 rarely does so, according to Levine.) In late December, they retained Barry Mallin, the lawyer who fought Buster’s at the SLA. Some neighboring buildings have pledged their support. “I think universally everyone in our building is against a sports bar—or whatever the hell, ‘family bistro’—opening on the corner of North Moore and Varick,” said Bill Fairnbairn, board president at 31-35 North Moore. The SLA will hold a 500-foot hearing—so called because it is triggered when three or more establishments with liquor licenses are within 500 feet of the applicant’s business—sometime in the next three months. Murabayashi says the residents of his building will be there.
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