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Union Square Pavilion Restaurant a No-Go, Judge Rules
By
John Del Signore
Published May 7, 2008
Modified May 7, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published May 7, 2008
Modified May 7, 2008
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A State Supreme Court judge has issued a “preliminary injunction” prohibiting the city from turning the 78-year-old Pavilion in Union Square park into a restaurant. Last week the court ruled that the $21 million overhaul to the north end of the park could proceed while a lawsuit brought by community groups moves forward, but temporary stalled work on the Pavilion.
Opponents object to what they see as the privatization of park space and insist the city needs approval from the state legislature before moving forward. The new ruling lets the city renovate the Pavilion and rehabilitate the bathrooms, but halts plans to lease it out for a restaurant. Parks advocate Geoffrey Croft was pleased today’s ruling:
The Court indicated that the Union Square Community Coalition is likely to ultimately prevail on its primary claim in the lawsuit – that restaurant use of the Pavilion would require approval of the New York State Legislature.
Croft tells us the city still plans to make 1,860 square feet of the Pavilion amenable for a restaurant kitchen while the lawsuit proceeds, but he says that could turn out just fine for the community, “because when the case is decided in our favor we can use that renovated space for public recreation.”
Photo of Union Square Pavilion courtesy Wallyg.
Tagged
community
construction
court
danny meyer
judge
lawsuit
pavilion
shake shack
stop
trees
union square
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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