Union Square Park
A court has given the Parks Department the green light to allow a seasonal restaurant to set up shop inside Union Square Park.
Locals that opposed the agreement said it would take away play space and impact the pavilion’s free speech uses.
However the New York State Court of Appeals disagreed, according to Capital New York.
The court ruled that an agreement with restaurant company Chef Driven Market to permit an eatery in the revamped northern pavilion is not a “violation of the public trust,” as plaintiffs in a lawsuit claimed.
The 15-year agreement would grant the restaurant the space from mid-April to mid-October. The company will pay $300,000 annually and $450,000 in the final year, or 10 percent of the year’s gross revenue, whichever is greater. The restaurant also promised to include affordable meal options, provide al fresco seating and have the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation approve the menu. [CapitalNewYork] – Angela Hunt