Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Hell's Kitchen Residents Create Task Force To Fight Bars
By
Nell Casey
Published Nov 8, 2013
Modified Nov 8, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Nell Casey
Published Nov 8, 2013
Modified Nov 8, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Exhausted by the relentless proliferation of bars and clubs, a group of Hell's Kitchen residents have united to fight nightlife establishments in their neighborhood. The Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Task Force to Fight Bars, lead by Kathleen Treat, a 25-year resident and public member of Community Board 4's Quality of Life Committee, wants to further educate the community board about the way residents feel about their neighborhood being turned into a raucous frat house. "The issue is what's called over-saturation of liquor-serving establishments, that's the Albany phrase," explained Treat. "We just have way too many bars here."
Despite reports to the contrary, Treat insists that if the Community Board were more proactive in voicing their concerns and not recommending licenses, that the State Liquor Authority would concede to their requests. "There's a misunderstanding floating around for many years that the SLA blanketly okays everything, no matter what the CB says, and that's not really true," says Treat. "The SLA does listen to Community Boards and if the Community Board says, 'No, we don't want a bar,' chances are the SLA will take that seriously."
Case in point, CB 4 aggressively battled against a license for the gay sports bar Boxers and the SLA ultimately sided with the community. However, there are 453 "On-Premises" licenses issued in the 10019 zip code and another 454 in the 10036 zip code, the two zip codes that cover the neighborhood.
Some of these establishments include sit down restaurants and corner pizza parlors, but given the high numbers it's clear the area is awash with booze. By comparison, the 10028 zip code, which covers the bar-dense UES in the 80s and 90s, has just 106 "On-Premises" licenses. We reached out to the State Liquor Authority for their take on the SLA/CB relationship but have yet to hear back.
For Treat, the root of the problem is the neighborhood's landlords, who she says prefer renting to boozy establishments because they're able to afford rising rent rates. "There's a bar around the corner from me, Dalton's, I think they pay $40,000 per month rent," a sum Treat says couldn't possibly be met by a Mom-and-Pop establishment. "[Landlords] never have the community's interest at heart; none of them live here, they don't give a damn," seethed Treat. "They live in Westchester, Florida. They don't care about the neighborhood."
The Task Force hopes that by convincing the Community Board not to recommend renewals or new licenses, that landlords will do right by the community's wishes. "It's a long shot," Treat concedes. "But it's become such an issue that we're willing to work."
Long shot puts it mildly. Rents in both Manhattan and Brooklyn have been rapidly increasing, especially in trendier and up-and-coming neighborhoods that attract younger tenants with money to burn. In turn, the establishments willing to shell out big bucks tend to skew towards chains or, as Treat points out, high revenue establishments like bars and clubs. By and large, Manhattan's landlords aren't the types to miss out on the dollar signs flashing before their eyes, despite yearning from folks who miss the good/bad 'ole days before the city became the homogeneous stew it is now.
For any interested parties, the Task Force has their first meeting today at 4 p.m. Contact [email protected] for more info.
Tagged
bars
community board 4
hell's kitchen
Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association
kathleen treat
sla
state liquor authority
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Why NYC restaurants are playing coy about sustainability
Though it has multiple benefits, the practice remains popular for one basic reason: it saves money.
By
Samantha Dady
Published Oct 26, 2026
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .