Hartman Must Face the CB3 Firing Squad Once More

Early this summer, restaurant owner Jesse Hartman went before Community Board 3 to seek approval for his planned Frank Lloyd Wright-style restaurant at 365 Grand St., a space formerly occupied by disaster case Isabella's Oven. After getting turned down once, he talked things over with the community, and then won approval for his Grand Park. Over and done with, right?

Not a chance. Since he's taken over six months to sign the lease, the approval has expired and he has to go before the board again. This time, he has a new opponent, part of the Seward Park Co-op that owns the space, who says he's worked with others in the past to "eliminate bars, discos and nightclubs similar to those north of Delancey Street. We all know how destructive these establishments are to residential neighborhoods." Granted, this is a restaurant, but a CB meeting on the LES wouldn't really be interesting without a crank of some sort waving a placard about noise pollution. Hartman faces the music on Monday.
· The Battle for "Grand Park" Rages On [TLD]
· CB3 Greenlights Hartman, Huynh [~E~]