After six months of negotiations, Proximo Spirits moves forward on Great Jones Distillery II
NoHo finally won in a much debated application to block the On-Premise licenses that would allow the complex to have full liquor service in three restaurants and a tasting room. Great Jones Distillery II will be limited to serving only the spirits produced at that location. Unless the plan is to eventually distill additional spirits, this will be a bourbon-only venue. We are hopeful that the volume of patron traffic and operational carting/deliveries will be toned-down as a result.
We have been informed that Proximo will keep to their “Farm Distillery” licenses that don’t require community review or approval. This, however, brings us to ask how this NYS legislation does not provide for competitive separation or to comply with the Padavan Law – triggered by license density in urban areas and proving a “public good,” under such circumstances.
With the plethora of formerly large retail locations, and still extant “Manufacuring Zoned Districts,” which also allow bars and restaurants, the advance of more of these rule-bending Farm Distillery licenses is inevitable.
Originally planned to support NYS farms and farm-product in rural areas of the State, Proximo has set a precedent that will promote use of such licenses for partial distillery operations in dense urban areas already well-occupied by OP licensed venues – without restrictions. Such areas include SoHo, NoHo, Clinton, Chelsea and the East Village in Manhattan.
We call upon Gov. Cuomo, our Senators Hoylman and Kavanaugh and Assemblymember Glick to modify the language in the Farm Distillery legislation and for the NYS Liquor Authority to weigh in on density issues for urban areas.